Question 1

What is an industrial design agency?

Accepted Answer

An industrial design agency develops technical concepts and designs physical products, systems and end-to-end services for a wide array of manufacturing industries including vehicles, electronics, home appliances and more. In addition to combining aesthetics, usability and ergonomics into a final product, the work of an industrial design company encompasses engineering, market placement and user-oriented concerns such as psychology, goals, needs and emotional connection.

Question 2

What does an industrial design company do?

Accepted Answer

The scope of an industrial design agency’s work typically consists of: Researching the demographics that will use the product/service. Ways in which product/service can be used. Planning out ideas and creating blueprints. Using computer software to develop virtual models of different designs. Examining materials and production cost to determine manufacturing requirements. Working with other product specialists to evaluate whether the design concepts fit the client’s requirements and end-users needs. Evaluating the cost of production. Evaluating product safety, appearance, and function to determine whether a design is practical. Presenting designs and demonstrating prototypes to clients for approval.

Question 3

What types of industrial design firms exist?

Accepted Answer

Different types of industrial design include airline design, airline interior design/styling, transportation design, automobile design, automobile interior design, sports equipment design, design directing, tool design, packaging design, stencil making, product photographing, safety clothing and equipment design, model building, lighting design, furniture reproduction, glass technology, heavy equipment design, and more.

Question 4

What is the difference between product design and industrial design companies?

Accepted Answer

The product designer focuses on making the product unique, creative and appealing to the end-user. The industrial designer would look at all the possible variations to be brought in, enhancing the existing or new products to be easily recognized by the customer. Their goal is to predict the process of design to make the product as easy and cheap to manufacture as possible and prepare it for mass production.

Question 5

How much does an industrial design agency charge for its services?

Accepted Answer

Industrial design pricing can range from a couple of thousand dollars to hundreds of thousands, depending on the complexity of the product you are creating. The average hourly wage for an industrial designer in the U.S. falls anywhere between $25 to $100. Bigger projects, that cover multiple phases, are calculated in a similar way to smaller ones: by estimating the hours for every single phase. For bigger volume projects, many industrial design firms apply a reduced hourly rate per project.

Question 6

Why hire an industrial design agency?

Accepted Answer

1. Trained Problem Solvers: industrial designers are thought and trained to be problem solvers. By understanding research, design and manufacturing techniques, they come up with solutions that solve problems both for you and your customers. 2. An Outside Perspective: industrial design firms offer a new perspective on each respective project. They can anticipate issues or developments that your company or your dedicated employees may not notice because they are too close to the project. 3. Deep Market Understanding: industrial design agencies employ market researchers who know the latest trends and understand how to harness and capitalize on them. With their help, your product has the chance of being the best, as well as landing at the exact spot, with the right target audience at the perfect moment. 4. Cut Down Expenses: industrial designers use high-end software tools to sketch out ideas, helping you envision your ideas before spending your entire budget on samples and testing. They apply the input, feedback and professional expertise from engineers, factories and market research analysts to further develop the designs, which results in a product that not only looks good but works at an affordable cost.

Question 7

How to choose the best industrial design company?

Accepted Answer

Consider the following aspects when choosing your future partner agency: 1. Expertise - they should have extensive overall experience, be collaborative, be willing to listen and truly understand your brand and project. 2. Versatility - the more fields they’ve covered, the more likely they will know about various market segments and what is needed for the said project to succeed. 3. Portfolio - looking at the previous work will help you decide whether they can match your requirements and expectations. 4. Industries served - they should have experience working with clients in your niche and understand the environment in which your business operates, otherwise, they won’t be able to deliver a successful project. 5. Pricing: have complete visibility of their pricing tiers. Communicate your business needs and goals to them and then let them provide you with a final price estimate. 6. Team: choose a partner with a qualified team that can handle every phase of your product development. If you plan to protect your idea/IP, ensure that the company has extensive knowledge of patents.

Question 8

What questions should I ask before hiring an industrial design agency?

Accepted Answer

Are you experienced in designing products similar to our own? Do you understand our niche/industry and the specific product category? Can you share some of your success stories from this industry? What does your design process look like? How will you create a product design and development strategy? Do you have the resources to handle end-to-end development, from initial concept to production? How do you conduct market research and analyze data? How will you ensure that the final product represents our brand well? What is the typical turnaround for this specific category product? What do you prioritize in your design, visual appeal, or user experience? What kind of prototyping do you offer and do you offer failure analysis?

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