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When I’m faced with an industrial design challenge sometimes I spend too much time focusing on project restraints. This can cause a major problem by diverting your attention away from the true needs of a customer. It can be especially troublesome during the early stages of development. While working through the initial ideating and sketching, look for ways to set aside the looming budget and manufacturing restraints. Allow yourself the freedom to have uninhibited fun finding product solutions. Ironically, many solutions won’t wander that far “out of the box.”
Ever since I can remember, I’ve been drawing cars. I grew up loving to draw, paint, take pictures, take things apart, and put things back together. I suppose, becoming an Industrial Designer was one of the simplest decisions I’ve ever made. Read more...
Yeah, but i find that the stuff I think looks cool can get me into problems with tooling. The tool is way to big and flimsy, or too deep or not enough draft which realy messes with the design intent. Or your gonna have parting lines all over the place and sometimes the uninhibited design depends on a flawless surface. Also I never get all the cool materials I want. All the light pipes or overmolds, in mold decals or plating. Those things can really enhance a simplistic design. But without them, the style can be too simple and not elegant. And I’ve never been a fan of a bunch of added shape features. Like in Pontiac when they used to put those three lines down the sides of the body.
Or AlienWare. No offence to Astro, of course.
Hey Jared,
Thanks for the great comment. I know what you mean, it can be extremely challenging.
I can’t think of anything more deflating then an engineer or finance person telling me the design, I’ve poured my heart into, is un-manufacturable or too expensive. To get through this roadblock try comparing it to a game like tennis. You come up with a design, and send it over the net to be reviewed and evaluated. Your design hasn’t “scored” until the ball stays in their court and they agree it’s worthy of production. It’s your responsibility to not make any compromises, and maintain a level of design leadership. When your unrestrained design breaches the “box” of restrictions, you can either stand firm, or look for alternatives that meet the boundaries. If you stand firm, it requires you to resell your theme with added support and reasoning, sometimes focusing on the R.O.I. will help. If you look for alternatives, then it’s important to find ones that exceed your previous concept’s level of execution. Being a production designer is never easy, restrictions often feel like gravity pulling your ideas back down to earth, but some of the most rewarding/enjoyable designs leave us speechless. They are the ones that have some magical ability to defy gravity. I’ve always felt that our lure, as industrial designers, is to find that realistic solution for the company, yet magical-experience for the customer.