whats the difference between ID and Product Design?
same difference for the most part
I was interested in knowing this too, so I met and spoke directly to some ID and PD people from three companies: Apple, Ideo and Frog. They all told me that generally, ID generates the form and artistic branding, and Product Design works to make those ideas technically feasible… For instance, ID may come up with an idea to use aluminum in their computers, but PD researches the science and mechanical engineering to make that happen… air flow, RF interference, material properties, manufacturability, etc… There are people that straddle the line (ID’ers with high technical skills doing ID and PD), but that the delineation was that PD was more engineering based…
…at least, that’s from the sampling of people from those specific companies… It could vary depending on the company you talk to? I’m no expert, and just passing along what I learned in my quest.
I had the same question last year, while I was applying for courses at university. This a reply I got from an admissions office
“The terms ‘industrial’ and ‘product’ are pretty
interchangeable when used in conjunction with design courses, and
what one University may call product design another will call
industrial design.”
I have since spoken to the person who sent me that (now my tutor), and he has said that there is essentially no difference in the terms, at least in terms of the courses, but that in some places there are differences.
I have heard some people say that industrail design is wider and broader, and encomapasses more (ie beyond ‘products’). I think that may sometimes be the case, but I think thats more down to the place using the terms rather than any intrinsic difference.
Some campanies do title there engineers as “Product Designers”, it can get prety confusing. But I think in terms of design education, they are very similar, but buyer beware, do your homework before attending.
My definitions:
Industrial Design is a discipline
Product Development is a process
Engineering, Marketing and Manufacturing are all a part of Product Development.
In the mid 1990’s many traditional Industrial Design consulting firms began selling “Integrated New Product Development” which by definition includes Marketing and Engineering in addition to Design. (Few of those firms offered the Marketing component–that’s almost always the group hiring the consultant to begin with.)
The latest trend is to also bundle in manufacturing (particularly selling Asian alliances.) We’ll see what happens.
if you give a product designer a tube, a piece of cloth, a can of paint, and a drill he will first make holes in the tube, then stir the paint with it, dip the cloth in paint, rub it on the tube, then roll the cloth, stick it up the tube’s end and sell it to you as a flute.
the industrial designer will dip the tube in paint, roll the cloth partially on one end of the tube, let’s it dry, and sell it to you as a cute flag and take the drill home if you don’t like his idea!
Wow, you really cleared it up UFO
The product development term was thrown around quite a bit for awhile.
I think the question at hand refers to the recent outcroping of Product Design majors, leave it to SAIC to confuse it more with their “Designed Object” major, and I think the Cranbrooks is called something like 3 dimentional design.
ok here’s another possible scenario:
if the ider decides to give it a second try instead of taking the drill home he would first stir the paint, rub some paint on the can’s exterior wall, stretch the cloth over the can, pull the corners of the cloth under the can and use the can’s weight to hold it until dry.
then shake the can once so the paint that’s inside the can hits the cloth around center, use the drill to make a hole on top of the can near the rim, make another hole near the bottom, drain the paint.
then drill a hole into the tube in middle and break it in half.
hey it’s a drum with sticks!
wow, it seems that our ider finally might have learned something - hasn’t he?
well, let’s hope so.
Umm… my business card says “Product Designer”
My responsibilities are as an Industrial Designer… I went to school for Industrial Design…
I think the translation is between company to company. I do corporate work… not sure if this is a variable.