What is Industrial Design ? Industrial design is concerned with the appearance and usefulness of manufactured goods. Industrial designers work on a wide array of products, from cars to shoes to medical equipment to toys. Product design involves the synthesis of a variety of diverse requirements and values into a coherent creation. Among such requirements and values are functional suitability, aesthetics, technical performance, economic resources and constraints, social and cultural issues, environmental concerns and human comfort. In UC's industrial design program, students learn to emphasize the humanistic qualities of products of mass production with special consideration for comfort, safety and visual satisfaction which they may bring to the users. In a curriculum balanced between academic and studio requirements, students are able to develop creativity, visual communication skills, hands-on experience with technology, and the ability to conduct design research in interdisciplinary collaboration. The program promotes critical thinking and innovative solutions for the future through strategic research with an emphasis and understanding of global impact, sustainability and collaborative partnerships. Industrial design students apply the highest standards of conceptual sophistication, aesthetics and craftsmanship at every level of study.

Career Possibilities Industrial designers are employed where products are planned for mass production. Since many goods are mass produced, there is a wide range of opportunities. Jobs have traditionally been divided into fields: (1) as a consultant or (2) on the design staff of a corporation. Furniture, appliances, housewares, electronic equipment, tools, toys and packaging are considered consumer products and nearly always require industrial design services while being developed for manufacturing and marketing. Other items not meant for the consumer market such as machine tools, medical equipment, business machines and displays are also designed by industrial designers. Transportation design may include automobiles, hybrid vehicles, semitrailer trucks, trains, airplanes and transportation systems. Special consideration is given to the exterior aesthetic, interior environment, comfort, functionality, safety and customer needs. Transportation industrial designers manage the creation of new concepts through the design process, which includes concept proposal, 3-D development and production release.