Career profile for Industrial Designer

What does an Industrial Designer do?

Industrial Designers design and develop manufactured products, such as cars, home appliances, and children's toys.

In addition, Industrial Designers combine artistic talent with research on product use, marketing, and materials to create the most functional and appealing product design.

What kind of tasks does an Industrial Designer perform regularly?

Industrial Designers are often responsible for overseeing or executing some or all of the following tasks:

Prepare sketches of ideas, detailed drawings, illustrations, artwork, or blueprints, using drafting instruments, paints and brushes, or computer-aided design equipment.
Modify and refine designs, using working models, to conform with customer specifications, production limitations, or changes in design trends.
Evaluate feasibility of design ideas, based on factors such as appearance, safety, function, serviceability, budget, production costs/methods, and market characteristics.
Present designs and reports to customers or design committees for approval and discuss need for modification.
Confer with engineering, marketing, production, or sales departments, or with customers, to establish and evaluate design concepts for manufactured products.
Research production specifications, costs, production materials, and manufacturing methods and provide cost estimates and itemized production requirements.
Direct and coordinate the fabrication of models or samples and the drafting of working drawings and specification sheets from sketches.
Develop manufacturing procedures and monitor the manufacture of their designs in a factory to improve operations and product quality.
Investigate product characteristics such as the product's safety and handling qualities, its market appeal, how efficiently it can be produced, and ways of distributing, using, and maintaining it.
Participate in new product planning or market research, including studying the potential need for new products.
Read publications, attend showings, and study competing products and design styles and motifs to obtain perspective and generate design concepts.
Fabricate models or samples in paper, wood, glass, fabric, plastic, metal, or other materials, using hand or power tools.

The above responsibilities are specific to Industrial Designers. More generally, Industrial Designers are involved in several broader types of activities:

Activities	Importance	Details
Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment		Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems		Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Working with Computers		Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates		Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Getting Information		Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment

Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.

Making Decisions and Solving Problems

Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Working with Computers

Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates

Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Getting Information

Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

What is an Industrial Designer salary?

The median salary for an Industrial Designer is $71,640, and the average salary is $76,290. Both the median and average roughly describe the middle of the Industrial Designer salary range, but the average is more easily affected by extremely high or low salaries.

Many Industrial Designers earn significantly more or less than the average, due to several factors. About 10% of Industrial Designers earn less than $41,860 per year, 25% earn less than $54,820, 75% earn less than $94,190, and 90% earn less than $118,440.

Between the years of 2020 and 2030, the number of Industrial Designers is expected to change by 5.7%, and there should be roughly 3,100 open positions for Industrial Designers every year.

Median annual salary: $71,640
Typical salary range: $41,860 - $118,440
Projected growth (2020 - 2030): 5.7%

What personality traits are common among Industrial Designers?

Interests

Career interests describe a person's preferences for different types of working environments and activities. When a person's interest match the demands of an occupation, people are usually more engaged and satisfied in that role.

Compared to most occupations, those who work as an Industrial Designer are usually higher in their Artistic, Enterprising, and Realistic interests.

Industrial Designers typically have very strong Artistic interests. Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

Also, Industrial Designers typically have moderate Enterprising interests. Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

Lastly, Industrial Designers typically have moderate Realistic interests. Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Values

People differ in their values, or what is most important to them for building job satisfaction and fulfillment.

Compared to most people, those working as an Industrial Designer tend to value Achievement, Relationships, and Working Conditions.

Most importantly, Industrial Designers strongly value Achievement. Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.

Second, Industrial Designers strongly value Relationships. Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment.

Lastly, Industrial Designers moderately value Working Conditions. Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions.

Psychological Demands

Each occupation brings its own set of psychological demands, which describe the characteristics necessary to perform the job well.

In order to perform their job successfully, people who work as Industrial Designers must consistently demonstrate qualities such as attention to detail, initiative, and dependability.

Below, you'll find a list of qualities typically required of Industrial Designers, ranked by importance:

Demands	Importance	Details
Attention to Detail		Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Initiative		Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Dependability		Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Analytical Thinking		Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Cooperation		Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.

Attention to Detail

Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.

Initiative

Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.

Dependability

Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.

Analytical Thinking

Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.

Cooperation

Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.

What education and training do Industrial Designers need?

Many Industrial Designers will have a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.

Industrial Designers usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.

Educational degrees among Industrial Designers

2.0% did not complete high school or secondary school
5.2% completed high school or secondary school
14.9% completed some college coursework
5.5% earned a Associate's degree
58.7% earned a Bachelor's degree
12.5% earned a Master's degree
1.2% earned a doctorate or professional degree

Knowledge and expertise required by Industrial Designers

Industrial Designers may benefit from understanding of specialized subject areas, such as engineering and technology, design, or production and processing knowledge.

The list below shows several areas in which most Industrial Designers might want to build proficiency, ranked by importance.

Knowledge areas	Importance	Details
Engineering and Technology		Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
Design		Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
Production and Processing		Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
Mechanical		Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
Computers and Electronics		Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Engineering and Technology

Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

Design

Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

Production and Processing

Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

Mechanical

Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

Computers and Electronics

Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Important Abilities needed by Industrial Designers

Industrial Designers must develop a particular set of abilities to perform their job well. Abilities are individual capacities that influence a person's information processing, sensory perception, motor coordination, and physical strength or endurance. Individuals may naturally have certain abilities without explicit training, but most abilities can be sharpened somewhat through practice.

For example, Industrial Designers need abilities such as fluency of ideas, originality, and near vision in order to perform their job at a high level. The list below shows several important abilities for Industrial Designers, ranked by their relative importance.

Abilities	Importance	Details
Fluency of Ideas		The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
Originality		The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
Near Vision		The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Oral Comprehension		The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Written Comprehension		The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

Fluency of Ideas

The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).

Originality

The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.

Near Vision

The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

Oral Comprehension

The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Written Comprehension

The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

Critical Skills needed by Industrial Designers

Skills are developed capacities that enable people to function effectively in real-world settings. Unlike abilities, skills are typically easier to build through practice and experience. Skills influence effectiveness in areas such as learning, working with others, design, troubleshooting, and more.

Industrial Designers frequently use skills like active listening, reading comprehension, and critical thinking to perform their job effectively. The list below shows several critical skills for Industrial Designers, ranked by their relative importance.

Skills	Importance	Details
Active Listening		Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Reading Comprehension		Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Critical Thinking		Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Complex Problem Solving		Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Speaking		Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Active Listening

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Reading Comprehension

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

Critical Thinking

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Complex Problem Solving

Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Speaking

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

What is the source of this information?

The information provided on this page is adapted from data and descriptions published by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration under the CC BY 4.0 license. TraitLab has modified some information for ease of use and reading, and the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment, and Training Administration has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.

If you have any questions or suggestions about this information, please send a message.

Career profile Industrial Designer

Industrial Designer

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