Industrial Product Designer

Overview

Industrial product designers design and develop objects intended for mass production, balancing aesthetics, functionality, technical constraints and user needs.

What is an Industrial Product Designer?

Industrial product designers design and develop objects intended for mass production. Their role is to create products that are attractive, functional and innovative, meeting user needs while working within technical and manufacturing constraints. To do so, they come up with new concepts, produce sketches and prototypes, and then help develop them through to production.

Responsibilities

An industrial designer's responsibilities depend on their area of expertise and the company that employs them. The following activities are typical:

• Studying the needs and expectations of end users.
• Analysing market trends, competitors and emerging technologies.
• Gathering information on materials, manufacturing processes and costs.
• Producing sketches, technical drawings and digital models using CAD (computer-aided design) software.
• Developing prototypes and physical models to test and evaluate concepts.
• Taking ergonomics into account to ensure products are comfortable and easy to use.
• Selecting materials and finishes based on appearance, feel and durability.
• Presenting concepts and designs to clients.
• Adapting designs in response to feedback and to technical or budgetary constraints.
• Taking part in product testing to ensure products meet quality standards and safety requirements.
• Analysing test results and making changes to improve product performance.
• Drawing up a functional and technical specification ahead of production.

Skills & qualities required

Industrial designers need to be creative and innovative, with strong command of CAD software and in-depth knowledge of materials and manufacturing processes. They also need a keen eye for aesthetics, the ability to solve complex problems, and the skill to communicate effectively with teams and clients.

Project management, an understanding of user needs, attention to detail and curiosity about new technologies are all essential.

Adaptable and flexible, they must be meticulous and rigorous in order to create products that are functional, ergonomic and visually appealing.

Career progression and salary

Industrial product designers can work in design agencies, creative studios or directly for industrial companies such as car manufacturers, sports equipment brands or household appliance makers. With experience, they can move into project manager or creative director roles, or work freelance.

An industrial product designer's salary varies with experience, sector and level of responsibility. On average, pay is around €39,500 gross a year, or nearly €3,300 gross a month. There are opportunities for entry-level candidates, but experience remains a significant advantage in moving into more senior roles.

How do you become an Industrial Product Designer?

To become an industrial product designer, specialist training in product design, industrial design or product development is recommended. Several routes are open to you, starting straight after the baccalaureate, as at ESDAC with the Bachelor en Design d’Objet.

Students can then continue their studies to Bac+5 level in order to specialise further and deepen their technical, artistic and methodological knowledge. Some courses also combine design and engineering to meet the demands of industry.

Work placements, work-study programmes and professional projects play an important part in these courses. They allow students to develop their creativity, their command of design tools and their understanding of the technical constraints involved in manufacturing products.