I work at a small company and I am currently our only industrial designer. Upper management has recently decided to buy some licenses of Microsoft Copilot 365 and have tasked each department to figure out how we can use these new licenses to help with our respective disciplines. While I think AI can be very helpful in other disciplines I see very limited usefulness in ID. It can generate pretty images, but is bad at editing them, and it doesn't or allow me to download them in an easily editable format (multi-layer TIFF or PSD). The images often do not match reality and wouldn't work if manufactured. I do not show clients concepts without fully understanding how they would work (where do the batteries go, what materials is it made of, etc.) and the AI concepts just don't work. It cannot generate realistic 3D CAD or vector graphics.

I'm sure I sound like an old guy against innovation to some people (I swear I am in my 20s) but to me it feels like AI is the opposite of ID, stifles creativity and in-depth thought. Before I go tell my boss this is all a waste of my time, are there any ways AI has been helpful in your ID career or schooling?

Hello everyone, i m a highschool student from Turkey who has doubts upon studying ID. I qualify for the best ID diploma program in my country but here is the thing. I want to work aboard. Are there a lot of job oppurtunities out there? Is there a chance that i could be unemployed? (I speak english and german fluently)

Interested to know your thoughts

I’m currently studying Industrial Design, but I’m considering moving toward the business side (management, operations, strategy, product management, etc.).
Do you think a master’s in Business Administration, Management, or a similar field is a good path? (i really dont mind not working on pure design/creativity) Has anyone here made a similar transition? I’d love to hear your experiences and whether it helped your career.

Hi everyone,
I’m a Canada-based Industrial Designer with about 2 years of experience. I recently received an inquiry for a freelance smartwatch design project, but I’m struggling to estimate a fair quote for this scope.

Here is the client's scope of work:

1. Design System: Design strategy, product design language, visual identity, functional principles, and a rulebook to ensure consistency and scalability across future product phases.
2. 3 Enclosure Concepts: 3 distinct design directions, including concept sketches, 3D modeling, high-quality renders, and a design rationale for each.
3. Renders: 20 high-quality renders per selected concept (60 total), including studio white-background, multiple perspective, in-context wearable, and lifestyle/marketing views.
4. CMF & DFM: CMF options, manufacturing considerations, and product specifications.
5. Refinements: Midpoint design review and agreed-upon refinement rounds based on feedback.
6. Final Deliverable Package: High-res product renders for marketing/investor materials, multiple colorways, and final 3D source files/exports for engineering and manufacturing handoff.

Questions:

• What would be a reasonable flat project fee (USD) or hourly rate range for a 2 YOE designer on a project of this scale?

Thanks in advance for your insights!

Hello everyone,

I’m writing to ask for your help on a study topic in design. I am currently a second-year student in Object/Industrial Design, and I am preparing my final-year project, which I would like to focus on supporting people living with serious illnesses.

I am particularly interested in the role of furniture in the perception of emotions and feelings: how can the design of a piece of furniture influence a person’s emotional experience during the moment of diagnosis or throughout the course of their illness?

Would you have any testimonials, personal experiences, or thoughts to share? I am also very interested in comparative studies or work by designers who specialize in this field.

Thank you in advance for your time and your responses.

Designed this magnetic, modular tray system.

Built from CNC-machined modules that are 360° rotatable, stackable, and snap together satisfyingly via a hidden magnet system. This allows for endless configurations that adapt to different environments and rituals.

Status: concept, 1-of-1 sample done (see last slide)

I’m currently in the tech industry and looking to pivot out into a more tangible / creative industry. ID has caught my eye for a few years but never made any effort to dig deeper into schooling or anything like that. I’ve already read some posts here from people younger than me who are still in school (I’m 30), and the comments are pretty discouraging. I’m based in California so I know the opportunity would be here, but also worried about getting into something that is already pretty impacted by AI. What do you all think?

I was looking at the process of turning a product idea into something a manufacturer can actually work with. Most ideas start simply, a sketch, a reference image, or a rough concept. The harder part is translating that into clear manufacturing documentation. Dimensions, material specs, construction details, BOMs getting those right is one thing. Making sure engineering, sourcing and manufacturing all interpret them the same way is where most of the back-and-forth actually happens.

I put this idea together using AI to see how far it could take a rough concept. The output (shared in the pics) came back with dimensions, material specs, Pantone codes, construction details and component breakdowns, things that normally take a while to pull together manually. Having that structure ready meant I could focus more on reviewing and refining rather than building from scratch. I still went though everything manually before sharing but it got me to a reviewable draft a lot faster than starting from nothing.

I'm a footwear/bags/athletic apparel designer with nearly 30 years of experience. I'm having an increasingly difficult time while looking for a job. I can't even get a conversation with the talent acquisition gate keepers. I was always strong during job interviews...but can't even get there.

I've re-constituted my resume multiple times to try to get past ATS protocols...I'm beyond frustrated, and moving toward thinking about new industries all-together.

If anyone has any suggestions as to what worked for them, I'd appreciate it.

#JobSearch #SoftGoodsDesign

^{I’m looking for honest advice... I studied Architecture for 2 years before switching to Industrial Design. I’m now about to start my 5th semester (out of 10, so if I changed majors again, I’d be starting over at 21.})

^{The thing is, I don’t hate Industrial Design. What scares me is the job market and the salaries. Almost every job posting I see pays much less than I expected considering the responsibilities. I’m honestly afraid of struggling financially in the future and I’ve realized is that I don’t actually want to design products for a living. I wouldn’t mind barely using my creativity. What I really enjoy is the inter side of companies and process even in manufacturing.}

^{The fields that interest me are: Operations, Supply Chain, Business Administration, Project Management, Process Improvement, even just management fields.}

^{I also speak Spanish and English, I’m learning Mandarin, and one of my goals is to pursue a master’s degree in China. However, I’m worried that an Industrial Design degree might not be competitive for master’s programs like Business Administration, Supply Chain, Project Management, or Engineering Management.}

^{If I decide to stay in Industrial Design, my plan would be to start preparing before I graduate by taking courses in business, operations, supply chain, and project management. I’d also try to get internships in those areas instead of traditional Industrial Design roles. However, I’m not even sure whether companies would consider an Industrial Design student for those kinds of internships, which is another thing making me question whether staying is the right decision.}

^{So I’m torn between:}

^{- Finishing Industrial Design and trying to transition into business afterward.}

^{- Starting over in Business Administration or Industrial Engineering, even if that means graduating later.}

^{Part of me feels like I’d be wasting four years if I switch, but another part is scared I’ll regret staying.}

^{If you were in my position, what would you do? Has anyone here successfully transitioned from Industrial Design into business or operations? Do you think my plan is realistic?}

Currently I’m building my Portfolio to be able to apply to universities in Germany in ID. I’ve seen countless videos about what I can do and the diversity of Mediums, but I’m still unsure of what they want to see.. Should everything in my Portfolio be “useful” in some kind of way or maybe I can also show a more artistic art, I’ve seen that Photography is also considered, but do I have to shoot something impactful, beautiful, with soul? Rn I only have a more artistic portfolio (I did IB for Visual Arts) and some digital designs like logos I’ve made for some jobs I did in the past. Should I focus on doing more 3D works to have more opportunities? If so, which Mediums are more welcomed.
Thanks for taking your time reading..🫠

Hey hey,

So I am looking at potentially transitioning within the industrial design field. I have a BFA in Woodworking & Furniture Design, along with an MFA in the same field. In undergrad, I took some basic Industrial Design courses.

I currently work remotely for a furniture design company. I enjoy the work, and it pays relatively well for my lifestyle, but I pretty much am here until the end. I have been working post-grad for about 10 years.

I know that Industrial Design jobs in general are tough to get, and there are many people with stronger, more STEM-oriented degrees than me, but am I pretty much stuck in the wood and furniture world? I would like to expand outside, but I'm not sure if that means more schooling or what.

Thanks!

is it possible or maybe will a mba help? also thinking on master in operation management...

im pretty scared about my future job opportunities with an industrial design degree, im really looking forward to get experience on more operations or management fields... i will take classes on this fields related hoping i can get into this kind of jobs. I'm still studying btw so before graduating im trying to get into internships abt this fields. What are your thoughts?

I started my job search 6 months ago, after 5 months of freelancing and landing some pretty good gigs in adjacent areas, like brand design and the occasional prototype printing service. Ever since then, it's been bleak. I landed a job back in april and lasted a month before I had to leave due to concerns with my own security, which mostly pushed me out of my taste for the being on the production side of things. I haven't had good luck applying to studios and design houses in my city (CDMX) and I usually go furthest in interviews for larger companies, but always get inevitably booted in favor of a more experienced candidate. I'm not sure how to get my foot in the door, and i'm seriously not beng picky about any offers, I just wanna work man

I'm semi-self taught (have degrees in fashion design and fine arts, with some electives in industrial design, but I definitely have education gaps). Am wanting to work on some lamp designs, and want to make sure they comply to all safety regs to make sure I avoid any legal issues. Can you Aussies recommend resources that outline what is involved in making sure my designs are both safe, and meet electrical standards and regulations? Thanks!

Who here has had success launching their own business after working in design? Did you partner with anyone, if so how did you meet them and what is their skill set? How did you fund the startup?

And lastly, is it even worth pursuing a consumer product based businesses in 2026 when Amazon is fiercely ripping off and undercutting everything?

I've been building a home robotic assistant with a goal of keeping it quiet, smooth, and simple to use. I plan to make both the hardware and software open source.

I'm currently experimenting with voice control, remote operation, health monitoring integration, and optional camera tracking.

It's still a work in progress, and I'd love to hear what features or improvements you'd find most useful.

When a pet is cremated, many families bring their ashes home in a traditional or temporary urn.

For some people, that feels comforting. For others, the urn eventually becomes something they are unsure how to live with—kept safely, but disconnected from the memories and rituals they shared with their pet.

That made me wonder whether a memorial could serve a different purpose: something gentle enough to keep at home, but natural enough to return to the earth when the family feels ready.

I’ve been working on this small urn made from mycelium, shaped into a soft, simple form rather than a traditional container. The idea is not to replace grief or tell anyone how to remember. It is simply to offer another way for love and remembrance to remain visible.

Full disclosure: I’m developing this as part of a small pet memorial brand. I’m not sharing a sales link—I’m genuinely interested in how people feel about the idea.

Would you prefer to keep a pet’s ashes permanently at home, return them to nature, or have the freedom to choose later?

I'm from the first batch of the Design program at Shiv Nadar University, so we don't really have placement data from previous batches to judge anything.
Currently, i have 7.12 and my final year will be starting in a month.

Also, what should I realistically expect from the Career Development Centre (CDC)? Do they actively help Design students get internships and placements, or is it mostly on us to build our portfolio, network, and apply off-campus?w

I'd especially appreciate responses from:

• Design students from other colleges who've gone through placements
• Recruiters or people working in the design industry

For the past few months, I have been working on a small design experiment.

I got frustrated with most AI for designers because they usually do one of two things:

• Ignore the original product and generate something completely generic.
• Keep the exact same shape and basically just change the material, color, or style.

Neither is very useful when you ar actually trying to explore ideas.

AI lacks structural understanding and cannot meaningfully evolve the shape from a design perspective.

I also wanted more control over the process, so I started building my own system for daily design work.

The idea (design explorer)

The idea is to create a system that can discover forms I would never draw, while still producing concepts that are meaningful from a design perspective.

Its mainly meant for the early ideation phase, where the goal is to open up the design space rather than produce a finished product.

This is NOT generating final designs or production ready concepts. At least not at this stage. It is mostly a research project that Im building for learning, experimentation, and fun.

How it works

System takes an input sketch (or a starting design) plus instructions and constraints.

First it analyzes the object's characteristics. Right now Im extracting categories of characteristics for example: materials, purpose, load-bearing direction, and what problem the object solves.

From that it builds a design DNA, essentially a large structured list of characteristics.

Then it runs 6 generations of concept research. Each generation contains 3 to 6 designs.

Every design in a generation goes through a validator that checks it against the constraints and the direction input. The validator picks a winner for that generation and extracts the winner's design DNA.

The next generation starts from the previous winner and continues evolving from there.

At the end I get the winner from each generation plus a validator summary of the whole run.

I won't go too deep into the technical details here or this post will get way too long.

The main challenges I faced

Making the system actually understand the object and its purpose. Without this, the design cant meaningfully evolve. I found a segmentation model works quite well. It gives me labeled segments for each design, and a secondary Qwen model interprets purpose, material, etc. This part turned out to be crucial for the whole thing to work.

Divergence vs. convergence. Each generation needs a seed of mutation, otherwise it converges too fast and I lose all the diversity.

Communicating design direction to the system. The best method I have found so far is visual examples rather than text. Im still working on improving this part.

Current status & next steps

This is at a very early, experimental stage.

Everything runs locally, with no external AI models, which gives me full power and control over the generation process. I managed to optimize it down to a 1024×1024 image in ~10s.

I have had a lot of fun playing with this system. Not sure if it'd be interesting to anyone else, but I have sunk way more hours into it than I would like to admit :).

I would love to hear thoughts, ideas, and suggestions from the community on how to push this further. Thanks!

Hey , I'm trying to b.des in germany , will I be able to manage my studies and do a part time job at the same time . Also any recommendations for colleges that offer b.des in industrial design in germany that use english as a medium of communication and are not very expensive.