Job Description
Industrial designers work with many different specialists, like materials scientists, engineers, marketers and accountants, to create new products. When beginning a project, industrial designers may start with a client meeting in which they advise the product planning team on how existing products can be improved and new ones introduced. They also work with the market research department to assess the product performance characteristics required by consumers and establish visual characteristics that will give the sales team an edge in the marketplace.
Next, the designers may create and sketch several different design ideas and present these options to the client. After the client has decided what ideas are to be pursued, the industrial designers go to work creating computer renderings with CAD programs and graphic design or photo imaging software; they also create 3-dimensional mock-ups to help clients visualize the final results. After the client decides on the final product design, the project moves to the engineering department for the manufacturing process.