Annually, inventors and researchers come up with millions of new product ideas. Many of them never make it to market; others that do can fail. Only a few are successful. Those that “make it” are usually the result of a careful vetting process. They undergo careful consideration and development as part of what industries refer to as the industrial design process.
Industrial Product Design and Its Designers
Product design involves the design, creation, testing, assessment, and development of new products. Industrial product designers combine their expertise and creative skills with practical knowledge and experience. The result is an effective, functional and sometimes attractive product for an appliance or a delicate and complex medical device. However, no matter what the item, those involved focus on ensuring the item proceeds successfully from design to production iteration. This is true whether the intent is mass or limited production.
Why It Is Important
With competition tight and consumers demanding higher standards and greater variety, it is important to vet carefully each product design. Industrial design is important in all aspects of ensuring the success of a product. It:
• Identifies its market
• Analyzes and corrects potential faults
• Produces a design capable of replication as a functional archetype
• Assesses all aspects of product appeal and functionality
Above all, industrial product designers and engineers are responsible for catching and eliminating potential errors before the device or other item proceeds further along the design-to-market route.
Industrial Product Design
Before any product enters the marketplace, it must undergo various stages of development. A product usually begins with an idea. It progresses from this to paper, computer and/or other iteration formats. This is all part of the industrial product design process. Only by passing through specific steps is the inventor/developer able to realize the feasibility and viability of this product. Only after the completion of these phases or studies can the product proceed to the next big steps – the functional prototype and production run.
