Transitioning from Industrial Design: Exploring Career Shifts into UX Design and Related Fields
Are you an industrial designer looking to explore new career paths? This article delves into various fields where your skills can be leveraged, from user experience design to product management, sustainable design, and more. Learn from a personal story of a friend who successfully transitioned into UX design and discover how you can achieve similar success.
Exploring Career Shifts for Industrial Designers
Industrial designers possess a unique set of skills, including a strong understanding of user-centered design, product development, and aesthetics. These abilities can be applied to a variety of career paths beyond traditional industrial design roles. Here are some fields that can be particularly appealing for a career shift:
User Experience UX Design
Many industrial designers have a natural talent for user-centered design, making the transition to UX design a seamless process. UX design focuses on creating digital products and services that are intuitive, user-friendly, and enhance overall user satisfaction. This field offers the opportunity to apply your design principles to a digital context, where the challenge is often more psychological and less physical than in traditional industrial design.
Product Management
Industrial designers can leverage their knowledge of product development and market needs to transition into product management roles. In these positions, you will oversee the entire lifecycle of a product, from ideation to production and marketing. This role combines design thinking with strategic business acumen, making it a rewarding choice for designers who enjoy influencing product development.
Sustainable Design
With the rising emphasis on sustainability, industrial designers can shift towards roles that emphasize eco-friendly product design and materials. Sustainable design focuses on creating products that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also environmentally responsible. This field allows designers to contribute to a more sustainable future while applying their creativity and problem-solving skills.
Interior Design
For industrial designers with a flair for aesthetics and spatial awareness, a career in interior design can be a fulfilling and rewarding choice. Interior designers create functional and appealing spaces, combining functionality with style to enhance the user experience within a given environment. This field allows designers to explore new dimensions of their creativity and apply their design principles to the built environment.
Graphic Design
Some industrial designers may choose to transition into graphic design, where they can apply their visual communication skills to branding, marketing, and advertising. Graphic design involves creating visual elements that communicate ideas and convey messages. This field offers a wide range of opportunities to express creativity and solve design challenges in a digital or print context.
Consultancy
Experienced industrial designers might consider starting their own consultancy. Consultants provide expertise to companies on product development, design strategy, and innovation. This role allows designers to leverage their skills and knowledge to help businesses improve their product design and development processes.
Education and Training
Industrial designers can also explore careers in education, teaching design principles at universities or conducting workshops and training sessions for aspiring designers. This role provides an opportunity to pass on knowledge and inspire the next generation of designers.
Entrepreneurship
Starting their own business to create and market new products can be an exciting avenue for industrial designers looking to innovate independently. This role allows designers to take their creativity to new heights and bring their innovative ideas to market.
A Personal Story of Career Transition:
I had a friend who was an industrial designer primarily focused on everyday household products, but then found themselves working for an up-and-coming vacuum cleaner and household appliance company. I hadn't seen them in a few years but we met-up at a mutual friend’s wedding. They had left their job about a year prior and were taking courses in interaction/UX design. For those who love woodworking and are trying to find detailed plans to build your dream project, you should check out the tutorial. It features a list of 16,000 projects with step-by-step plans, making it easy even for beginners.
They explained that they were crossing into a different kind of user-experience other than 'how a vacuum-cleaner could look sleeker and be comfortably-held.' The parallels were there but the outcome was different and more challenging, often more psychological. This insight can be valuable for any designer considering a career shift, as it highlights the importance of looking for similarities and opportunities to apply existing skills in new contexts.
When considering a career shift, it's important to focus on a challenge that you feel you can be successful at. My friend was driven by a desire for a change that matched their skills and interests, and this mindset can be applied to any career transition.
Is UX design or UI design a fit for you? Yes, it can be an excellent choice. It can also be paired with other interests you might have, such as programming, if that's something you're interested in. The 'look' and 'feel' of an app or program can be a part of it, too.
As you embark on your career path, remember these options. You never know where your skills may lead you, and with the right mindset, you can achieve great success in any of these fields.