Industrial design and its most relevant examples

History is able to show us the origin of a trade as important as industrial design, and its examples, its wide possibilities.

Industrial design and its most relevant examples

All the objects that surround us have characteristics that can make them seem more or less useful, beautiful, ugly, organic, rigid, overloaded, abstract, in short, sensations that they transmit to us regardless of their function through their physical and symbolic characteristics. Industrial design, along with other fields of design and art, ensure that the objects we use or surround us are capable of transmitting us far beyond functionality and efficiency, so that these objects gain added and immaterial value. .

The history of industrial design

If we try to trace the origins of industrial design, we will be forced to go back to the very need to create objects or tools that have served the human being since its inception. The closest thing we can find in ancient times is the figure of the craftsman, who dedicated himself to creating objects of daily life that were unique, whose design and production techniques were guarded with suspicion by the craftsman himself, since the value of his crafts was given by the authenticity of each of its pieces.

The industrial Revolution

The next great milestone in industrial design would undoubtedly be the industrial revolution. As of the 18th century, the final product was not going to depend so much on the technical skills of the craftsman, since machines began to exist that were capable of massively replicating the same object. The industrial revolution forced a paradigm shift, which made the figure of the designer appear, who through the design of the piece was able to provide it with added value regardless of his manual skills.

The "Werkbund" and the Bauhaus

Already by the beginning of the 20th century, industrial design was quite ingrained in society, and debate was beginning about its true purpose. Naturally, different currents of thought began to emerge, particularly in Germany at the beginning of the century, as a result of different socio-cultural upheavals, a series of professional conglomerates with a creative profile (artists and craftsmen) that received the name of “Werkbund” were born. With the aim of using industrial mechanization processes to manufacture a variety of everyday and decorative objects.

And this ecosystem of artists and craftsmen would give rise in 1919 to the creation of the Bauhaus by Walther Gropius, known as the first training center for graphic and industrial designers. Despite its short life, the Bauhaus would represent a turning point in industrial design, managing to manufacture a large number of objects, at low costs, and with a high level of quality and design.

Nowadays, industrial design, also known as product design, is the area that is responsible for the creation and development of all kinds of products, ranging from the conceptualization of an idea, through the prototyping manufacturing process, and finally mass production. Globalization has forced towards the separation of the figure of the craftsman and the artist, to turn the profession into a multidisciplinary subject where great importance is given to the market, and to innovation in the creation and manufacture of all kinds of products.

Industrial design processes

Product vision and strategy

It is about establishing a route plan, more or less defined, that is concrete enough to know what we want to design, but flexible enough to admit modifications along the way. The aim is to obtain a vision and a powerful route that can be easily transmitted to collaborators or bearers of interest.

Research

It implies trying to acquire all the knowledge of a technical, normative, economic, or even historical nature that helps us not to repeat mistakes of the past, and at the same time facilitates the path to the final object

User Analysis

This would be the stage where it is sought to reach conclusions through the data and testimonies collected during the first stages. The idea is to obtain a fairly clear picture of the panorama where the product will unfold, the possibilities that it may have, and the possible risks.

It is the most creative part of the process, where assumptions and risky ideas are allowed to help giver forms the final product. It is a stage that feeds a lot on the exchange of ideas and constructive criticism.

Design and prototyping

At this point, the idea is to close and materialize everything that has been worked on in previous stages, managing to build a prototype of the product in order to later test it in all possible ways, trying to analyze it objectively in contrast to the objectives set at the beginning of the design process.

Manufacturing and industrialization

If the designed prototype is capable of meeting the objectives and expectations generated throughout the process, finally, it is time to launch it on the market and mass-produce it, if applicable, distributing it or applying it depending on the type of product being used. have created.

It is important to clarify that there is no infallible recipe for industrial design, each designer and each product brings to the table different challenges that require different solutions. Thus, knowing that many times it is necessary to go back and rethink the path in any of the steps, and that this, far from being considered a failure, usually results in the best products.