What do industrial designers do?

Industrial designers are the creative forces behind the products we use every day, from your favorite headphones to the coffee maker on your kitchen counter. But their work goes far beyond aesthetics. They blend creativity, technology and human-centered thinking to design solutions that make life easier, smarter and more sustainable.

If you’re curious about turning ideas into impactful designs that serve people and the planet, industrial design could be the career path for you.

What industrial designers do

At its core, industrial design is about making things work, beautifully and effectively. Industrial designers imagine, prototype and test everything from consumer electronics to medical devices, ensuring that each product is functional, accessible and visually appealing.

Industrial designers are involved in every stage of the product development process. They research user needs and behaviors, sketch initial concepts, create digital renderings and build prototypes to test functionality. Through the process, they collaborate with engineers, marketers and manufacturers to choose materials, refine designs and create products that are useful and ready for the real world.

Different types of industrial designers

While some designers take a generalist approach, solving challenges across multiple sectors, others specialize in a particular industry. Common job titles include:

• Automotive designer
• CAD (Computer Aided Design) operator
• Design strategist
• Furniture designer
• Mechanical drafter
• Medical product designer
• Packaging designer
• Product designer
• Service designer
• User experience (UX) designer

While these roles have clear differences, they all solve real-world problems through clever and thoughtful design.

The skills you’ll need to succeed

Because industrial design bridges art, engineering and user experience, it calls for a diverse skill set. You’ll need to:

• Collaborate across disciplines and with diverse teams.
• Embrace feedback and iterate with purpose.
• Study how people interact with products.
• Think creatively and develop innovative solutions.
• Use industry tools such as SolidWorks, KeyShot, Rhino and Adobe Creative Suite.

You’ll also need a solid understanding of ergonomics, sustainability and design ethics, especially if your goal is to improve lives through innovation.

Earn your online industrial design degree from Arizona State University

ASU Online’s Bachelor of Science in Design in industrial design prepares you to create solutions that are as meaningful as they are marketable. You’ll learn how to ideate, develop and prototype in both physical and digital environments; and how to bring your ideas to life in a fast-changing world.

Through project-based courses, you’ll explore:

• Sketching and modeling
• Design thinking and iteration
• Sustainable design and human-centered principles
• 2D and 3D digital tools
• Collaboration and critique

You’ll also build a portfolio through a capstone project with the option to gain hands-on experience through an internship.

This flexible, future-focused degree equips you to join, and shape, a growing field. Whether you want to design smarter home tech, launch your own product line or improve health care access through better tools, ASU Online gives you the skills to make an impact.

Want to take a more art-centered path to a career in industrial design? ASU Online also offers a Bachelor of Arts in art with a concentration in art studies. This degree builds a strong foundation in visual arts, cultural awareness and critical thinking; all valuable skills if you’re considering a career in the field.

Wherever you are in your journey, ASU Online can help you nurture your creativity, sharpen your skills and prepare for a career that matters to you and others.