Product Design is a specialized field that entails:
- Identifying the right market opportunity: People have certain apparent needs and then some needs exist but haven’t been identified as yet. Similarly there exist certain solutions to the problems that people face. These needs as well as solutions to the problems are the opportunities that can be exploited by product designers.
- Devising a solution to the problem: The identified opportunities can take the form of a product or service.
- Designing feature-rich products (targeted at the premium audience or targeted at masses) in accordance with the business objective.
- The product designer’s job doesn’t end with designing a solution. He has to research the validity of the solution with the end users so as to ensure a positive overall product experience.
- Redesigning an existing product to improve functionality as well as enhance user experience. At times the existing design also changes in order to make it economically attractive or extravagant depending on the target audience.
A few years ago the definition of the product was limited to any material that had a physical shape and was available at any brick-and-mortar store. However, the current definition of a product has expanded to include physical products, services as well as digital products like apps, websites, etc.
The typical work description of a product designer:
- Conceiving, visualizing, and sketching the Initial design ideas.
- Meeting the clients to discuss and understand the design brief and come up with a prototype/sample of the same.
- Be up-to-date with the current design trends and influences
- Finding solutions to overcome Product faults accurately and always paying attention to details
- Working as a team player
- Using CAD (computer-aided design) to develop design concepts
- Collaborating with engineers and marketing department for appropriate production processes, costs, and other commercial concerns
- Evaluating the functionality as well as the safety of the products
On completion of the Product Design Course, the following are a few of the opportunities, which will open its doors to you:
- Product/Industrial Designer: Competencies in technology, materials, and manufacturing methods will help you in not only working on new products but also improving the designs of existing ones in addition to their utility of them.
- Furniture Designer: You conceive concepts and design products that balance innovation, utility, and aesthetics.
- Exhibition Designer: You will work on large public exhibitions, trade shows, showcase events, conferences for trade, industry, or education, cultural exhibitions for museums, etc. You not only have to ensure aesthetic appeal but also communicate the client’s message and products USP. In addition, you are also responsible for handling the budgets.
- Clothing/Textile technologist: You will be involved in carrying out quality tests, sourcing relevant fabrics or textiles as well as working with both man-made and natural fibers including leather, fur, etc. In addition, you will be involved in developing products, improving efficiency as well as quality.
To be successful, one should complete one course from premier institutes that ensure that students balance aesthetics, functionality, and experience with innovative thinking. In addition, the curriculum must offer competencies in product designing for disruptive innovative products & services, Consumer Durables, Medical & Healthcare products, Interactive sensor-based & IoT enabled products, Consumer Electronics (both analog as well as digital), digital products comprising of apps, websites, etc.
So register fast and come on board for a rewarding and fulfilling career.