How To Find The Right Industrial Design Company

You just came up with a new idea for a product design, and you want to launch the product as soon as practicable because you know it can significantly help address end users' specific needs.

To get the specific build and design you want, you must find the right industrial design company with experience designing and building the same product type as yours. And, of course, one with the proper skill set to bring your product idea from a rough sketch to a finished product until it is out in the market.

Industrial design is a practice that goes beyond designing products, systems, and end-to-end services. The right industrial design company can aid you in transforming your ideas into reality.

Let us discuss how you can find the right industrial design company to bring your vision to life.

5 Criteria to Find the Right Design Firm for You

One of the things you need to consider when working with an industrial design company is how they will collaborate with you in developing your product. Many different aspects go into a product development process; it is essential to have a general understanding of the type of experience of each design team.

Experience or Capability

Sometimes, having someone experienced in the field gives you a sense of security.

A company with a wide range of experience can foresee issues easily missed during product development. You can expect the company to find a solution whenever these challenges present themselves.

Look into the company's history, the industries or clients they worked with, and the number of products they have been involved in patenting. Once you know their history, you'll know how long they have been in business, and you will also get an overview of the company's ideals.

Industries or clients they worked with can also attest to the company's credibility. You can also check reviews of the products and services they have brought to the market and see if they have worked with products similar to the one you want to develop.

Some companies also offer consulting services; you can directly ask them about their experience in the said field, especially if you cannot find anything about their experience working on developing products like the one you have.

Industrial Design Portfolio

An industrial design portfolio showcases the competencies of the company or the kind of work that they have done.

Are their services only limited to industrial designing? Do they also offer other product development services? These are some questions that a company's portfolio may answer.

Industrial design companies work with various products, but not everything is done with a single template process. Their portfolio should detail the projects they took and the product types they have worked on.

Team

A team of industrial designers must have mechanical engineers, graphic designers, and a marketing specialist. You will need an experienced team to take on the entire development process.

Industrial design companies may already have an in-house team that can take care of all phases of the product development process. Also, look into their legal team, or ask assistance from the company if you want your design patented under your name.

Price

Aside from production costs, you should also expect to pay for the services of the industrial design company. The cost varies depending on the project and the company's experience.

Let us look at some compensation methods favouring a specific development type and covering a different scope of work.

Flat fee or fixed rate

A fixed-rate or flat fee means you and the company already agreed to the overall payment from the beginning. You can already set aside a budget for the entire project, and the company should address changes in the project duration and work around them without affecting the agreed budget.

A fixed-rate or flat fee is ideal when your proposed idea already has all the necessary inputs and a well-defined output. Be clear with your expectations, so the design firm can work around and do as instructed.

Industrial design services fee

The design company may require compensation based on their services if you are still in the early phases of the product development process. If your design is still subject to modifications and a significant amount of detail is still unknown, you should adjust the budget. A fixed rate is difficult to set because you cannot accurately measure the amount of work put into the development process.

A fee plus royalties

Some design companies are willing to share the costs of the product development. The company receives a share of ownership when the product is ready. You may offer that the company receive a percentage of the selling price of every unit sold.

You can talk to the company and come up with an agreement regarding the ownership share. This compensation method is ideal if you lack the monetary budget to finance the production.

Client Testimonials / Reviews

As consumers, you would always consider the feedback of other consumers who have already tried or availed of the product. A single negative review can dissuade you from purchasing or availing.

Testimonials or reviews from clients highlight positive or negative experiences of previous or current company clients. It can provide insight into the company's processes or work ethics for a prospective customer.

Where to find industrial design firms?

Local

You can limit your choices to local companies that operate within your area. Getting in touch with them and coordinating with each other is more accessible.

Referrals

If you have friends, business partners or mentors who previously availed of an industrial design company's services, you can also ask them or have them refer you to the company they worked with.

Search Engines

There is plenty of information that you can find on the internet. And your search engines essentially act as a filter to help you find information pertinent to your interests.

Review Platforms

Previous clients or customers can leave feedback about the service or product of a company through review platforms. You may try searching the following platforms and look at testimonials about a company.

a. Google reviews

b. Clutch

c. Upcity

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