Tips for Outsourcing Industrial Design
Industrial design is a combination of applied art and applied science. Industrial designers must design products with aesthetics and usability in mind, starting from conceptual brainstorming and leading to solutions that take a design team through to production start-up. The industrial design field combines function and form, and in the process, artists work alongside engineers and marketers. Although industrial designers do not design technical components like gears, motors, and circuits, their designs do affect the technical aspects of the products they create. The goal of industrial design is to determine a product’s needs and what expectations are and then fulfill them.
Outsourcing industrial design tasks is an increasingly popular choice because it cuts costs, decreases risk, and improves time-to-market. Few companies can afford the luxury of having a team of designers and engineers on staff in case a new product needs to be designed at short notice. As such, a company should have an industrial design and engineering contractor on call.
Some companies may opt to outsource industrial design to a firm in a developing country, such as India. Although the reduction in costs may be significant, one must also consider the disadvantages of outsourcing abroad. Despite a firm’s competence in industrial design, there are a number of factors that could make outsourcing abroad disadvantageous for your business. For example, you will probably have to deal with time zone differences, language barriers, unforeseen delays, and managerial difficulties. Design, by the very nature of creative and highly iterative refinement, is very challenging to do at a distance for any product with a degree of technical challenge. It is possible to create efficient processes for technically challenging design solutions with dispersed teams however few companies have optimized this experience and can demonstrate repeat successful engagements. Although larger companies do use remote industrial design and engineering teams, it can be at the cost of efficiency as mistakes and miscommunication increase.
Working with an industrial design firm in a developing country comes with many challenges. Consider working with an industrial design team made up of native speakers to avoid miscommunication and to ensure that your project is delivered on schedule. Ultimately, your goal should be to hire an industrial design firm with experience developing industrial products in your market or a similar market. More importantly select the industrial design company because of their depth of knowledge in materials, processes and supply contacts and rely on your intimate knowledge of your user and the market to steer the solution. Talented Industrial design firms develop product in many markets, applying their skills in shape, image, human expectation models, ergonomics, materials and process experience to provide market leading solutions. It is important to examine an industrial design firms experience across markets to demonstrate their underlying knowledge of materials and manufacturing processes. A qualified, experienced industrial design firm can help you select materials, specify components, achieve low cost, and ensure that the designs meet production requirements.
An increasing number of branding agencies that perform industrial design on the side have also emerged in recent years. These branding agencies serve as a one-stop solution to a company’s branding, marketing, design, and production needs. They operate on the logic that since they design your products, they should also help you package and sell them.
For the design and production of simple products, hiring a branding agency to spearhead your entire project may be sufficient, but for technically challenging products, you’re probably better off hiring a specialist. A branding agency that dabbles in industrial design is probably less equipped to design highly technical products for your company. On the other hand, an industrial design firm that specializes in the design of technically challenging products is more likely to be able to design products that meet the needs, desires, and expectations of your target market.
Whether you suddenly need to meet the demand for new products or you require the expertise and fresh perspective of an industrial design specialist, outsourcing your industrial design needs can be advantageous for your business. If you are in the process of developing a new product, hire an experienced team of industrial design professionals to help you conduct research and bring your product ideas to life.
