Introduction

Experts in the field of industrial design are professionals in the creative act of determining and defining a product’s form and features. This involves designing and shaping the final aesthetic, functionality, and manufacturability of a product. Industrial designers often have the end-user in mind, so as to ensure that value is placed in the right places of a product to ensure saleability. However, this comes with expectations of maintaining safety regimes and ensuring the product will not cause harm or undue pain through misuse.

Some responsibilities that industrial designers have include:

  • Research how consumers would use their products.
  • Sketch out ideas or create blueprints.
  • Use computer software to develop virtual models of different designs.
  • Examine materials and production costs to determine manufacturing requirements.
  • Work with other specialists to evaluate whether their design concepts will fill the need at a reasonable cost.
  • Evaluate product safety, appearance, and function to determine if a design is practical.
  • Present designs and demonstrate prototypes to clients for approval.

The type of industrial designer will depend on the product category they work for. Some design medical equipment, some design consumer products, whilst others design mechanical parts. Throughout the entire process, however, it is paramount that the consumer is at the forefront of the industrial designer’s mind as this allows for effective value creation in the product

Industrial designers would be of great use to the legal process in cases which relate to product malfunction which occasioned in economic loss or actual harm. Industrial designer can be extremely useful in identification of flaws that went into the design process and whether these oversights contributed to harm or loss. If a product was made with little regard for safety in its design, industrial designers would be able to identify whether certain harm may have been reasonably foreseeable due to poor design of a product. Furthermore, if a product was made in a manner that was conducive to proper manufacturing practices then this may cause economic loss in relation to expectations. Additionally, in cases of copyright infringement, industrial designers would be able to comment on whether or not certain functionalities were taken from pre-existing products or patents.

Experts in the field of industrial design will have extensive experience in engineering, architecture, marketing, and commerce. The specific specialisation and background needed by your industrial designer will be determined by the matter which requires examination.

At the bottom of this profile are brief details of a number of the experts that Expert Experts represents. Call our office to discuss your requirements and to obtain a recommendation that suits your needs and budget.

Expertise in Action

Industrial designers would greatly assist in the legal process. Their specialised knowledge can be used to examine products which have either created issues in manufacturing or with consumers who have purchased the product.

Sample Reports

For some fields of expertise we have some sample sections of de-identified reports. Please contact our office if you are interested in a sample.

Cost

The overall cost of expert opinion depends on the services required. Some of the key factors that affect the cost of advice include:

  • The need for a view or inspection of a location
  • The quantity of documentary material to be reviewed
  • Whether there are reports of other experts to be reviewed and commented on in detail
  • Whether there is a need for conferences with the expert either in person or by telephone/Skype
Relevant Articles Design law reform: Australia joins Hague Agreement on Industrial Designs

This article highlights how the Hague Agreement establishes an international system which allows for designers to seek design protection in many countries at once.

Relevant Cases Hong, Guang Guang [2001] MRTA 753 (28 February 2001)

This statement released by the Migration Review Tribunal codifies the responsibilities of an industrial designer when they assessed the applicant’s migration application.

Oliver v Roberts [2018] ACTCA 35 (24 August 2018)

This matter assessed the quantum of damages available to someone who worked in a position as an industrial designer. This required assessment of the salary and award which regulated an industrial designers’ income.

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A sample of our experts in Business - Industrial design

Below are short profiles of a few experts with expertise in this field. Please contact our office to discuss your specific requirements and to obtain a recommendation that suits your needs and budget. Expert Experts are experts in finding the right expert for your needs and you pay no more to use Expert Experts than if you searched and found the expert yourself.

  • #ID11466

Marketing, advertising and communications expert

ID11466 has over 30 years of experience which covers all aspects of marketing and communications strategy development. With many career highlights including working as Group Account Director for one of Australia’s largest ad agencies for various blue chip FMCG and B2B clients 11466 has a wealth of knowledge and industry experience which he regularly uses for expert witness services.


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