Science & ResearchISCO 2163
Industrial designer
Industrial designers work out ideas and develop them into designs and concepts for a wide variety of manufactured products. They integrate creativity, aesthetics, production feasibility, and market relevance in the design of new products.
Check yourself in a minute: industrial designer
Rate 5 of the 19 essential skills of this occupation (European ESCO data). No account needed.
follow a brief
meet deadlines
conduct research on trends in design
liaise with engineers
perform market research
About industrial designer
As an industrial designer, you will blend creativity, technical knowledge, and business acumen to develop innovative products that meet market needs and consumer expectations. Your work involves researching design trends, understanding user needs, sketching concepts, and collaborating with engineers to transform ideas into manufacturable products. You will consider aesthetics, ergonomics, production feasibility, and cost-effectiveness in every design decision. Your role bridges the gap between engineering teams and marketing departments, ensuring that products are both visually appealing and functionally superior. In Poland's manufacturing sector, industrial designers are increasingly sought after as companies aim to compete globally with distinctive, well-designed products that stand out in international markets.
Key Work Functions
Core areas of responsibility for a industrial designer.
1
Research and Trend Analysis
- Conduct market research to identify consumer needs, preferences, and emerging design trends
- Analyze competitor products and design solutions to identify opportunities for differentiation
- Research materials, manufacturing processes, and technological innovations relevant to product design
2
Concept Development and Ideation
- Perform ideation activities and brainstorming sessions to generate innovative product concepts
- Draw design sketches and preliminary drawings to visualize and communicate design ideas
- Develop multiple design concepts and evaluate feasibility against project requirements
3
Design Specification and Documentation
- Draft comprehensive design specifications including dimensions, materials, and manufacturing methods
- Determine suitability of materials based on product requirements, durability, and cost considerations
- Create detailed design documentation for production teams and engineering partners
4
Collaboration and Presentation
- Liaise with engineers to ensure designs are technically feasible and manufacturable
- Present artistic design proposals to stakeholders, clients, and management teams
- Gather feedback from cross-functional teams and incorporate suggestions into design refinements
5
Project Management and Execution
- Follow briefs and project requirements while maintaining creative vision and design excellence
- Meet project deadlines and deliver design solutions on schedule
- Apply engineering principles and design management methodologies to ensure quality and consistency
6
Ergonomics and Aesthetics
- Apply ergonomic principles to ensure products are comfortable and safe for users
- Design products that balance aesthetic appeal with functional requirements and manufacturing constraints
European Skills Framework
Skills and knowledge areas required for this occupation based on European classification.
Essential (19)
engineering principlesengineering principlesThe engineering elements like functionality, replicability, and costs in relation to the design and how they are applied in the completion of engineering projects.design managementdesign managementThe way in which design principles are incorporated to help achieve business objectives, create products and services, obtain new customers, and support marketing activities.manufacturing processesmanufacturing processesThe steps required through which a material is transformed into a product, its development and full-scale manufacturing.mathematicsmathematicsMathematics is the study of topics such as quantity, structure, space, and change. It involves the identification of patterns and formulating new conjectures based on them. Mathematicians strive to pr...copyright legislationcopyright legislationLegislation describing the protection of the rights of original authors over their work, and how others can use it.industrial designindustrial designThe practice of designing products to be manufactured through techniques of mass production.follow a brieffollow a briefInterpret and meet requirements and expectations, as discussed and agreed upon with the customers.meet deadlinesmeet deadlinesEnsure operative processes are finished at a previously agreed-upon time.conduct research on trends in designconduct research on trends in designConduct research on present and future evolutions and trends in design, and associated target market features.liaise with engineersliaise with engineersCollaborate with engineers to ensure common understanding and discuss product design, development and improvement.perform market researchperform market researchGather, assess and represent data about target market and customers in order to facilitate strategic development and feasibility studies. Identify market trends.draw design sketchesdraw design sketchesCreate rough pictures to assist in creating and communicating design concepts.perform ideation activitiesperform ideation activitiesImplement the different techniques to generate ideas. Sketching, prototyping and brainstorming are examples of these techniques.present artistic design proposalspresent artistic design proposalsPrepare and present detailed design suggestions for a specific production to a mixed group of people, including technical, artistic and management staff.draft design specificationsdraft design specificationsList the design specifications such as materials and parts to be used and a cost estimate.aestheticsaestheticsSet of principles based on which something is appealing and beautiful.design principlesdesign principlesThe elements used in design such as unity, scale, proportion, balance, symmetry, space, form, texture, colour, light, shade and congruence and their application into practice.ergonomicsergonomicsThe science of designing systems, processes and products that complement the strengths of people so that they can use them easily and safely.determine suitability of materialsdetermine suitability of materialsWhile designing products, determine if materials are suitable and available for production.
Optional (46) — show
types of packaging materialstypes of packaging materialsProperties of materials that make them suitable for packaging. Conversion of raw materials into packaging materials. Different types of labels and materials used which comply with the correct storage ...CAM softwareCAM softwareDifferent tools for computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) to control machinery and machine tools in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimisation as part of the manufacturing processes of workpie...ceramic wareceramic wareThe production process and characteristics of various types of ceramic ware such as pottery, whiteware, stoneware, chinaware, porcelain or earthenware.hydraulicshydraulicsThe power transmission systems that use the force of flowing liquids to transmit power.cost managementcost managementThe process of planning, monitoring and adjusting the expenses and revenues of a business in order to achieve cost efficiency and capability.3D modelling3D modellingThe process of developing a mathematical representation of any three-dimensional surface of an object via specialised software. The product is called a 3D model. It can be displayed as a two-dimension...industrial engineeringindustrial engineeringThe field of engineering concerned with the development, improvement, and implementation of complex processes and systems of knowledge, people, equipment, etc.CAD softwareCAD softwareThe computer-aided design (CAD) software for creating, modifying, analysing or optimising a design.jewellery processesjewellery processesMaterials and processes involved in creating jewellery items like earrings, necklaces, rings, brackets, etc.types of toy materialstypes of toy materialsField of information which distinguishes the nature and different types of toy materials, such as wood, glass, plastic, steel, etc.pneumaticspneumaticsThe application of pressurised gas to produce mechanical motion.types of glazingtypes of glazingVarious types of glass, insulating glazing and mirror glass and their contribution to energy performance. Their usage cases, advantages and disadvantages, and price points.coordinate manufacturing production activitiescoordinate manufacturing production activitiesCoordinate manufacturing activities based on production strategies, policies and plans. Study details of the planning such as expected quality of the products, quantities, cost, and labour required to...calculate materials to build equipmentcalculate materials to build equipmentDetermine the amount and the kind of materals necessary to build certain machines or equipment.design packagedesign packageDevelop and design the form and structure of a product's package.apply 3D imaging techniquesapply 3D imaging techniquesImplement a variety of techniques such as digital sculpting, curve modelling and 3D scanning to create, edit, preserve and use 3D images, such as point clouds, 3D vector graphic and 3D surface shapes.use specialised design softwareuse specialised design softwareDeveloping new designs mastering specialised software.perform physical stress tests on modelsperform physical stress tests on modelsPerform tests on products' models to analyse the ability of products to endure temperature, loads, motion, vibration and other factors.apply desktop publishing techniquesapply desktop publishing techniquesApply desktop publishing techniques to create page layouts and typographic quality text.create a product's virtual modelcreate a product's virtual modelCreate a mathematical or three-dimensional computer graphic model of the product by using a CAE system or a calculator.use technical drawing softwareuse technical drawing softwareCreate technical designs and technical drawings using specialised software.adapt to new design materialsadapt to new design materialsWithout neglecting more traditional techniques and materials, monitor materials innovation such as new resin, plastic, paints, metals, etc. Develop ability to use them and include them in design proje...identify customer's needsidentify customer's needsUse appropriate questions and active listening in order to identify customer expectations, desires and requirements according to product and services.prospect new customersprospect new customersInitiate activities in order to attract new and interesting customers. Ask for recommendations and references, find places where potential customers can be located.build a product's physical modelbuild a product's physical modelBuild a model of the product out of wood, clay or other materials by using hand or electrical tools.calculate design costscalculate design costsCalculate design costs to make sure the project is financially viable.monitor production developmentsmonitor production developmentsMonitor parameters to keep an eye on the production, developments and costs within your area of control.manage contractsmanage contractsNegotiate the terms, conditions, costs and other specifications of a contract while making sure they comply with legal requirements and are legally enforceable. Oversee the execution of the contract, ...collaborate with engineerscollaborate with engineersWork closely and communicate with engineers on designs or new products.produce sustainable productsproduce sustainable productsManufacture goods in a sustainable manner throughout the product lifecycle which involves promoting social responsibility, conserving resources, and minimizing negative environmental impacts.build jewellery modelsbuild jewellery modelsConstruct preliminary jewel models using wax, plaster or clay. Create sample castings in moulds.use CAD softwareuse CAD softwareUse computer-aided design (CAD) systems to assist in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimisation of a design.design prototypesdesign prototypesDesign prototypes of products or components of products by applying design and engineering principles.draw blueprintsdraw blueprintsDraw layout specifications for machinery, equipment and building structures. Specify which materials should be used and the size of the components. Show different angles and views of the product.adapt existing designs to changed circumstancesadapt existing designs to changed circumstancesAdapt an existing design to changed circumstances and ensure that the artistic quality of the original design is reflected in the final result.consult with design teamconsult with design teamDiscuss the project and design concepts with the design team, finalise proposals and present these to stakeholders.develop jewellery designsdevelop jewellery designsDevelop new jewellery designs and products, and modify existing designs.determine production feasibilitydetermine production feasibilityDetermine if a product or its components can be produced by applying engineering principles.write manualswrite manualsWrite down instructions about how to properly and safely use equipment, machinery, and systems.perform project managementperform project managementManage and plan various resources, such as human resources, budget, deadline, results, and quality necessary for a specific project, and monitor the project's progress in order to achieve a specific g...prepare production prototypesprepare production prototypesPrepare early models or prototypes in order to test concepts and replicability possibilities. Create prototypes to assess for pre-production tests.analyse production processes for improvementanalyse production processes for improvementAnalyse production processes leading toward improvement. Analyse in order to reduce production losses and overall manufacturing costs.plan event marketing for promotional campaignsplan event marketing for promotional campaignsDesign and direct event marketing for promotional campaigns. This involves face-to-face contact between companies and customers at a wide range of events, which engages them in a participatory positio...attend design meetingsattend design meetingsAttend meetings to discuss the status of current projects and to be briefed on new projects.human-robot collaborationhuman-robot collaborationHuman-Robot Collaboration is the study of collaborative processes in which human and robot agents work together to achieve shared goals. Human-Robot Collaboration (HRC) is an interdisciplinary researc...think creatively about jewellerythink creatively about jewelleryGenerate innovative and creative ideas to design and decorate jewellery.
Related Occupations
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Frequently asked questions
What does an industrial designer do?
Industrial designers work out ideas and develop them into designs and concepts for a wide variety of manufactured products. They integrate creativity, aesthetics, production feasibility, and market relevance in the design of new products.
What skills does an industrial designer need?
An industrial designer needs 19 essential skills, including engineering principles, design management, manufacturing processes, mathematics, copyright legislation.
Will AI replace industrial designer jobs?
The AI disruption score for industrial designer is 27/100 (low risk). Skills most exposed to automation: write manuals, monitor production developments, perform market research. Most resilient: consult with design team, aesthetics, follow a brief.
AI Replacement Risk
27/ 100
Low Risk
Low riskHigh risk
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