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What skills do I need to learn/have in order to be competitive in the field of industrial design?
I’m a junior in high school trying to find a career that I might want to continue with and maybe major. I enjoy designing, digital and traditional art, and learning how things work.
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8 answers
Nissa Burkhalter
I specialize in bookkeeping, graphic design, and technical writing, leveraging my expertise to adapt across industries like construction and death care
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Nissa’s Answer
To be competitive in industrial design, focus on developing skills in sketching, 3D modeling (using tools like SolidWorks or Rhino), material knowledge, and human-centered design. Strong problem-solving abilities and an understanding of ergonomics are essential for creating functional and visually appealing products. Additionally, communication and presentation skills will help you effectively share your ideas. Exploring college programs in industrial design or related fields and gaining hands-on experience in prototyping and digital art will further strengthen your skill set.
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Martha’s Answer
Interesting question, Neve, and you received solid advice from Nissa.
I thought you might be interested in further career information from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics - see first link below. Be sure to click on all the tabs there.
Your note about "learning how things work" also made me think about STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) education. The second link is careers related to that.
I hope this helps and wish you good luck!
BLS - https://www.bls.gov/ooh/arts-and-design/industrial-designers.htm
STEAM education careers - https://artsintegration.com/2018/09/01/steam-careers-for-the-21st-century/
I thought you might be interested in further career information from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics - see first link below. Be sure to click on all the tabs there.
Your note about "learning how things work" also made me think about STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) education. The second link is careers related to that.
I hope this helps and wish you good luck!
Martha recommends the following next steps:
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sowmya’s Answer
To succeed in industrial design, focus on building your technical skills, boosting your creativity, and improving your people skills.
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Veronis’s Answer
Hi Neve, while I do not have a background in industrial design, I did find a useful foundational course on Linkedin I perused I believe could answe quite a few questions for you. Hope you find this useful. Good luck to you! https://www.linkedin.com/learning-login/share?forceAccount=false&redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Flearning%2Findustrial-design-foundations%3Ftrk%3Dshare_ent_url%26shareId%3DPp47GQjWQ%252FG9EvRP2jM9QQ%253D%253D
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SUDERSHINI’s Answer
1. Design Essentials
Sketching & Visualization: Quickly share your ideas with hand sketches and digital drawings.
3D Modeling: Get skilled in CAD software like SolidWorks, Rhino, and Autodesk Fusion 360.
Rendering: Use tools like KeyShot, Blender, and V-Ray to create realistic product images.
2. Technical Skills
Prototyping: Gain hands-on experience with 3D printing, CNC machining, and model making.
Materials & Manufacturing: Learn about materials, how things are made, and any limits involved.
Engineering Basics: Understand basic concepts in mechanical and electrical engineering.
3. User-Focused Design
Human Factors & Ergonomics: Design for comfort, ease of use, and accessibility.
User Research: Use interviews, surveys, and tests to guide your design choices.
Design Thinking: Apply a step-by-step approach to solve problems creatively.
4. Digital Abilities
Adobe Creative Suite: Master Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign for great presentations and graphics.
UI/UX Basics: Learn about designing interfaces, especially for digital products.
5. Business & Communication
Presentation Skills: Present your ideas clearly to clients, stakeholders, and teams.
Project Management: Keep track of timelines, budgets, and work with different teams.
Collaboration: Work well with engineers, marketers, and manufacturers.
6. Personal Skills
Creativity & Innovation: Come up with new and original ideas.
Problem-Solving: Find practical solutions to design challenges.
Attention to Detail: Make sure everything in your design is precise.
Adaptability: Stay updated with the latest trends, technologies, and user needs.
7. Building Your Portfolio
Showcase Projects: Create a strong and varied portfolio that highlights your skills and results.
Storytelling: Clearly explain your design choices and their impact.
Sketching & Visualization: Quickly share your ideas with hand sketches and digital drawings.
3D Modeling: Get skilled in CAD software like SolidWorks, Rhino, and Autodesk Fusion 360.
Rendering: Use tools like KeyShot, Blender, and V-Ray to create realistic product images.
2. Technical Skills
Prototyping: Gain hands-on experience with 3D printing, CNC machining, and model making.
Materials & Manufacturing: Learn about materials, how things are made, and any limits involved.
Engineering Basics: Understand basic concepts in mechanical and electrical engineering.
3. User-Focused Design
Human Factors & Ergonomics: Design for comfort, ease of use, and accessibility.
User Research: Use interviews, surveys, and tests to guide your design choices.
Design Thinking: Apply a step-by-step approach to solve problems creatively.
4. Digital Abilities
Adobe Creative Suite: Master Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign for great presentations and graphics.
UI/UX Basics: Learn about designing interfaces, especially for digital products.
5. Business & Communication
Presentation Skills: Present your ideas clearly to clients, stakeholders, and teams.
Project Management: Keep track of timelines, budgets, and work with different teams.
Collaboration: Work well with engineers, marketers, and manufacturers.
6. Personal Skills
Creativity & Innovation: Come up with new and original ideas.
Problem-Solving: Find practical solutions to design challenges.
Attention to Detail: Make sure everything in your design is precise.
Adaptability: Stay updated with the latest trends, technologies, and user needs.
7. Building Your Portfolio
Showcase Projects: Create a strong and varied portfolio that highlights your skills and results.
Storytelling: Clearly explain your design choices and their impact.
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Shreya’s Answer
Industrial design is a blend of creativity, technical skill, and problem-solving. Start building your art and digital skills, learn some basic CAD, and create a portfolio of your work. This will set you up for a strong start in college and beyond.
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Deepti’s Answer
To stand out in industrial design, you’ll need a blend of creative, technical, and interpersonal skills. Here’s a breakdown of the most important ones:
1. Design Fundamentals
Sketching & Drawing: Ability to quickly visualize ideas by hand.
3D Modeling: Proficiency in CAD software (e.g., SolidWorks, Rhino, Fusion 360).
Rendering: Creating realistic images of products using tools like KeyShot or Blender.
2. Technical Proficiency
Prototyping: Skills in building physical models (using foam, 3D printing, or other materials).
Manufacturing Knowledge: Understanding materials, processes (injection molding, CNC, etc.), and how products are made.
Engineering Basics: Familiarity with mechanical principles and how things work.
3. Digital Tools
Adobe Creative Suite: Especially Illustrator and Photoshop for presentations and concept art.
3D Visualization: Ability to create and manipulate digital prototypes.
4. User-Centered Design
Research: Conducting user interviews, surveys, and market research.
Ergonomics: Designing for comfort, usability, and accessibility.
Problem-Solving: Translating user needs into practical design solutions.
5. Soft Skills
Communication: Presenting ideas clearly to clients, engineers, and manufacturers.
Collaboration: Working effectively in multidisciplinary teams.
Project Management: Organizing tasks, timelines, and deliverables.
6. Portfolio Development
Showcase Projects: A strong, well-documented portfolio demonstrating your process from concept to final product.
Storytelling: Ability to explain your design thinking and decisions.
Tip: Stay updated on industry trends, sustainability, and emerging technologies (like AR/VR or smart products), as these are increasingly important in modern industrial design.
1. Design Fundamentals
Sketching & Drawing: Ability to quickly visualize ideas by hand.
3D Modeling: Proficiency in CAD software (e.g., SolidWorks, Rhino, Fusion 360).
Rendering: Creating realistic images of products using tools like KeyShot or Blender.
2. Technical Proficiency
Prototyping: Skills in building physical models (using foam, 3D printing, or other materials).
Manufacturing Knowledge: Understanding materials, processes (injection molding, CNC, etc.), and how products are made.
Engineering Basics: Familiarity with mechanical principles and how things work.
3. Digital Tools
Adobe Creative Suite: Especially Illustrator and Photoshop for presentations and concept art.
3D Visualization: Ability to create and manipulate digital prototypes.
4. User-Centered Design
Research: Conducting user interviews, surveys, and market research.
Ergonomics: Designing for comfort, usability, and accessibility.
Problem-Solving: Translating user needs into practical design solutions.
5. Soft Skills
Communication: Presenting ideas clearly to clients, engineers, and manufacturers.
Collaboration: Working effectively in multidisciplinary teams.
Project Management: Organizing tasks, timelines, and deliverables.
6. Portfolio Development
Showcase Projects: A strong, well-documented portfolio demonstrating your process from concept to final product.
Storytelling: Ability to explain your design thinking and decisions.
Tip: Stay updated on industry trends, sustainability, and emerging technologies (like AR/VR or smart products), as these are increasingly important in modern industrial design.
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Phill’s Answer
Hey Neve,
It is great to hear that you are starting to prepare your skills to study industrial design. There are quite a few things you can start to work on prior to going to a university. Here are some suggestions in no particular order.
I would watch Objectified which is a great documentary that gives a good insight as to what industrial design is. It should be free online.
Start with working on your fundamental skills, sketching, modeling/prototyping. When sketching work on your 1,2,3, point perspectives as well as shading and marker renderings. Being able to sketch an object as a nice final drawing is good, but what is more important is being able to get your ideas onto paper quickly, which is rapid ideation. It is good to work on making your sketches into models as well using a range of low cost and low quality materials. It would also be good to familiarize your self with the different kinds of aesthetics and art fundamentals like color studies with the color wheel. You can also begin to research the history of industrial design and what is currently happening in the field. You can also start to work on learning different computer softwares. For CAD Modeling, you can consider using Fusion 360, Solidworks, of Sketchup. You can also use Adobe softwares like photoshop, illustrator, and indesign to help make edits, graphic, and layouts. You can also give yourself basic design challenges. Like designing a water bottle, a chair, a home appliance, etc.
Most importantly, just keep making! Best of luck with your preparation!
It is great to hear that you are starting to prepare your skills to study industrial design. There are quite a few things you can start to work on prior to going to a university. Here are some suggestions in no particular order.
I would watch Objectified which is a great documentary that gives a good insight as to what industrial design is. It should be free online.
Start with working on your fundamental skills, sketching, modeling/prototyping. When sketching work on your 1,2,3, point perspectives as well as shading and marker renderings. Being able to sketch an object as a nice final drawing is good, but what is more important is being able to get your ideas onto paper quickly, which is rapid ideation. It is good to work on making your sketches into models as well using a range of low cost and low quality materials. It would also be good to familiarize your self with the different kinds of aesthetics and art fundamentals like color studies with the color wheel. You can also begin to research the history of industrial design and what is currently happening in the field. You can also start to work on learning different computer softwares. For CAD Modeling, you can consider using Fusion 360, Solidworks, of Sketchup. You can also use Adobe softwares like photoshop, illustrator, and indesign to help make edits, graphic, and layouts. You can also give yourself basic design challenges. Like designing a water bottle, a chair, a home appliance, etc.
Most importantly, just keep making! Best of luck with your preparation!