5 Ways to Think Like a World-Class, Creative Industrial Designer

What it takes to be accomplished in the world of product design is a concept that is foreign to most. Spearheading innovative industrial design absolutely requires a wide array of qualities and specialized skills, however, thinking like a world-class creative designer can be easier than you think.

By following the tips listed below, you can get yourself in the same mind frame as our leading Austin and Toronto-based product design experts who have taken hundreds of creative ideas generated by TriMech Design Solutions (formerly MAKO)‘s clients and turned them into exceptional, mass-produced products.

One of MAKO’s clients came up with the PetBot, a sleek, modern-looking robot that allows you to watch your pet and dispense treats while you’re far from home.

1. Strive to Do Better

Some people call it being a perfectionist while others refer to it as being persistent but regardless, consistently aspiring to do and be better is one thing that every great industrial designer does. They are fueled by the belief that there is always a way to improve a product design or innovate a better solution.

Our Austin and Toronto-based industrial designers hold themselves to the highest standards and aim to exceed client expectations every time by employing their creative thinking and problem-solving abilities.

Creative Industrial Designer

Creative Industrial Designer

2. Design for the User

Having the ability to garner an apt understanding of the needs, emotions, and preferences of others is essential to thinking like a creative industrial design expert. If you don’t possess empathy and understanding for others, how will you develop something that improves their lives?

Exceptional industrial designers focus on identifying what it is that people want – yesterday, today, and in the future.

Our client ideated the Festken water bottle as a useful accessory for music festival attendees who dance for hours.

Festken at a Concert

Festken at a Concert

3. Be Curious

Curiosity is what allows us to learn and grow both personally and professionally. As a designer, you need to be curious to remain at the forefront of innovation. If you’re not willing to learn and grow, how will you create products that make waves in the marketplace?

4. Collaborate: Our Multinational Product Design Experts Work Closely Together 

One of the biggest mistakes emerging designers often make is trying to create and solve everything on their own when collaboration can streamline the process and elevate the final outcome. You produce the best work when you collaborate with other people.

Our Austin and Toronto-based industrial design professionals work together every day on projects, which allows them to hold each other to high standards, troubleshoot arising issues more effectively, and motivate each other to consistently perform at their greatest capacity.

You produce the best work when you collaborate with others and include a wider variety of perspectives in decision-making processes.

Reverse engineer process

Product Design Process

5. Get Comfortable with Failure

The majority of the creative ideas you will develop as a designer aren’t going to be ‘the one.’ Just because every idea isn’t a winner doesn’t mean it’s time to throw in the towel. The key to producing great designs is to learn from your failures and use them as fuel that drives you forward and keeps you innovating.

Thinking like a world-class creative industrial designer doesn’t come easy for everyone, but these tips are some of the most important ones to follow to be a game changer in the realm of product design. If you have any questions for our Austin or Toronto-based industrial design experts, we’d be happy to answer them. You can contact us here or leave a comment below!

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David Brown

David Brown, Industrial Designer

David Brown, P.Eng., is an industrial designer and licensed engineer with experience in manufacturing software, luxury retail fixtures, and consumer product design.

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