How to Choose the Right Industrial Design Firm
Your agency is always looking for ways to deliver more value and create unforgettable brand experiences. Moving beyond digital to create tangible products is a powerful way to do that, but it can feel intimidating. You don't need to build an in-house engineering department to make it happen. Instead, you can partner with an industrial design firm to act as your expert product team. They manage the entire development lifecycle, from initial research and concept design to detailed engineering and factory handoff. This article will demystify their role and show you how to confidently bring physical products into your creative arsenal.
Key Takeaways
Look Beyond a Pretty Portfolio for Technical Expertise: A beautiful concept is only half the battle. The right partner must have deep engineering experience to ensure your product is functional and manufacturable, saving you from costly production issues down the road.
Define Your Vision with a Detailed Brief: Before you start your search, create a comprehensive design brief with clear goals, a target audience, and visual references. This foundational document aligns everyone from the start and empowers your design partner to execute your vision precisely.
Treat the Hiring Process Like a Strategic Partnership: Don't rush your decision or focus solely on the lowest price. Vet potential firms by asking for relevant case studies, checking client references, and assessing their project management process to find a true collaborator who understands agency workflows.
What Exactly Does an Industrial Design Firm Do?
So, you have a brilliant idea for a physical product to anchor your next big campaign. Maybe it’s a piece of custom tech for an immersive activation or a beautifully designed influencer kit. The vision is there, but how do you get it made? That’s where an industrial design firm comes in. Think of them as your expert partners for turning a concept into a tangible, real-world product. They bridge the gap between a creative idea and a manufacturable reality.
An industrial design firm does much more than just sketch pretty pictures. They are a blend of artists, engineers, and strategists who manage the entire product development lifecycle. From initial market research and user analysis to detailed engineering, prototyping, and preparing for mass production, they handle every technical step. For a creative agency, partnering with the right firm means you can focus on the brand story and campaign goals, while they handle the complex work of making sure the product not only looks incredible but also works flawlessly and can actually be built on time and on budget. They are the architects and builders who bring your physical brand experiences to life.
Turning an Idea into a Real Product
At its core, an industrial design firm’s main job is to turn new ideas into real products. They take a concept—whether it’s a detailed brief or a sketch on a napkin—and begin the process of making it tangible. This involves a thoughtful combination of creativity, technical expertise, and a deep understanding of the end-user. The goal is to create something that is not only aesthetically pleasing and aligned with your brand but is also functional, ergonomic, and intuitive to use. It’s a holistic approach that ensures the final product resonates with your audience on every level, from its look and feel to its performance.
Building the Research and Strategy
Before any design work begins, a great firm starts with research and strategy. This foundational step is all about understanding the landscape your product will live in. The team will analyze market trends, identify what competitors are doing, and, most importantly, study the needs and desires of your target users. This research informs every decision that follows, ensuring the product is not just a cool object but a strategic tool that meets a real need and has a clear place in the market. For agencies, this strategic alignment is key to creating campaign assets that feel authentic and impactful, rather than just promotional.
Engineering for Real-World Use
This is where the magic of art and science truly comes together. A beautiful design is useless if it can’t be manufactured or if it breaks after one use. Industrial designers are experts at blending art, business, and engineering to create product concepts that are built for the real world. This phase involves detailed mechanical and electrical engineering, material selection, and Design for Manufacturability (DFM). The firm creates precise CAD models and technical specifications that ensure the product is durable, reliable, and can be produced efficiently at scale. It’s the technical rigor that transforms a creative vision into a high-performance product.
Prototyping and Testing the Concept
You wouldn’t launch a website without testing it, and the same goes for physical products. Prototyping is a critical phase where the design is brought to life for the first time. Firms create test versions of the product, ranging from simple foam models to fully functional pre-production units. These prototypes allow you and your team to see, touch, and interact with the product, providing invaluable feedback on everything from ergonomics to user experience. This iterative process of building and testing helps refine the design, catch potential issues early, and validate the concept before you commit to the high cost of manufacturing tooling.
Preparing for Manufacturing
Once the design is finalized and the prototypes are approved, the firm prepares everything for a smooth handoff to the factory. This is a highly detailed and technical stage that involves creating a comprehensive production package. Key deliverables often include final DFM-optimized CAD files, a complete Bill of Materials (BOM) listing every single component, and master assembly drawings. Getting this right is essential for accurate quoting and efficient production. While design costs can seem significant, investing in a thorough manufacturing prep phase prevents costly errors and delays down the line, ensuring your vision is executed perfectly.
A Look at the Top Industrial Design Firms
The world of industrial design is home to a wide range of firms, each with its own strengths and focus. Finding the right partner means understanding this landscape so you can match a firm’s capabilities to your project’s needs. Some firms are massive global players, while others are small, specialized studios. Let’s walk through the main types of firms you’ll encounter.
Jackson Hedden Inc.
Firms like ours sit at the intersection of creative design and practical engineering. We specialize in turning ambitious ideas into tangible, manufacturable products. This integrated approach is perfect for agencies that have a strong creative vision but need a technical partner to handle the complex mechanics of bringing it to life. We combine creativity and technical skill to make products that not only look great but also work flawlessly. By focusing on everything from material selection to DFM-optimized CAD, we ensure your final product is ready for production without costly surprises, making us a reliable behind-the-scenes product development team for your most important campaigns.
Global Design Leaders
You’ve likely heard of the big names in the design world. These are the large, established firms that work with well-known global brands on high-profile projects. Their key advantages are their immense resources, extensive experience, and global reach. They often have large, multidisciplinary teams that can tackle incredibly complex challenges, from product ecosystems to service design. For massive, multi-year initiatives, they can be a great choice. However, for agency projects that require speed and direct collaboration, working with a firm of this scale can sometimes feel slow or impersonal, with more layers of management to get through.
Boutique Design Studios
Boutique studios are small, creatively-driven firms that often have a very distinct aesthetic or a specialized design philosophy. They are known for their unique artistic voice and are a fantastic choice when you’re looking for a partner to bring a specific, curated style to a project. These firms are masters of form, materials, and finish, and their work often feels personal and handcrafted. The primary focus is typically on the creative vision, which makes them excellent for projects where a strong, signature look is the main goal. This differs from a design and engineering firm, where the focus is on executing your agency's vision with technical precision.
Niche Industry Experts
Some firms build their entire practice around a single industry, like medical devices, automotive design, or sustainable packaging. These niche experts offer deep domain knowledge that is invaluable for projects with specific technical or regulatory requirements. They understand the unique challenges, user expectations, and material constraints of their field inside and out. This expertise ensures that new products are not only innovative but also compliant and perfectly aligned with user needs. Partnering with a niche firm is a smart move when you’re working in a highly specialized category that demands proven user-centered design experience.
How to Choose the Right Design Partner
Finding the right industrial design firm is less like hiring a vendor and more like starting a strategic partnership. For an agency, this choice is critical—you’re trusting them to bring a client’s vision to life in the physical world. The right partner becomes an extension of your team, translating creative concepts into tangible products that are engineered for success. The wrong one can lead to missed deadlines, budget overruns, and a final product that doesn't live up to the initial idea. To make the right choice, you need to look beyond a slick portfolio and assess their process, technical skills, and ability to collaborate under pressure.
Define Your Project Goals
Before you even start your search, get crystal clear on what you need to accomplish. What does success look like for this project and for your client? Start by outlining the scope, timeline, and budget. Is this a one-off promotional item for an influencer campaign, or a complex electronic device intended for retail? Understanding these factors is the first step to defining your project goals. Be specific about your deliverables. Do you need concept sketches, functional prototypes, or a full production-ready package with DFM-optimized CAD? Having a detailed brief will not only help you filter out firms that aren’t a good fit but also ensure you get accurate quotes and set clear expectations from day one.
Review Their Portfolio and Past Work
A firm’s portfolio is your first window into their capabilities, but you need to look deeper than just the glossy final shots. Look for work that’s similar to your project in terms of complexity, materials, and target market. A key goal of industrial design is ensuring that the design quality stays high from the initial sketch all the way to the factory floor. Do their case studies show the process and the thinking behind the product? Look for evidence that they can solve real-world engineering challenges, not just create beautiful renderings. This will give you a much better sense of their ability to deliver a product that is both visually compelling and manufacturable.
Assess Their Technical Skills
Great ideas are nothing without flawless execution. Your design partner must have the technical expertise to bridge the gap between creative vision and physical reality. Industrial designers use specialized computer software for drawing and 3D modeling, but their skills should go far beyond that. Ask about their in-house engineering capabilities. Can they handle mechanical and electrical engineering? Do they have experience with material selection, thermal analysis, and preparing detailed BOMs for manufacturing? A firm that integrates design and engineering from the start is far more likely to produce a product that works perfectly, meets compliance standards, and can actually be built on time and on budget.
Check for a Good Cultural Fit
You’re going to be working closely with this team, so a good cultural fit is non-negotiable. You need a partner who understands the pace and demands of agency life. Are they collaborative and responsive? Do they communicate clearly and proactively? Many firms talk about using human-focused solutions in their work, which can give you a clue about their overall approach. During initial conversations, pay attention to how they listen and the questions they ask. You’re looking for a team that feels like a true partner—one that’s as invested in your client’s success as you are. A seamless working relationship will make the entire process smoother and more enjoyable for everyone involved.
Ask for Client References
Finally, do your due diligence by checking references. Don’t just take their curated list of testimonials at face value. Ask to speak with past clients, particularly those from other agencies or who had projects similar to yours. This is your chance to get an honest assessment of their process, communication, and problem-solving skills. As experts suggest, it's important to read reviews and ask for references to learn about their work ethic. Ask specific questions: How did the firm handle unexpected challenges? Did they stick to the timeline and budget? Were they a collaborative partner? Hearing directly from past clients will give you the confidence that you’re choosing a firm that can deliver on its promises.
Breaking Down Industrial Design Costs
Talking about money can feel tricky, but it’s one of the most important conversations you’ll have with a potential design partner. The cost of industrial design isn’t just a line item; it’s an investment in your client’s brand and the success of your campaign. Understanding how firms structure their pricing and what factors drive the final number will help you set a realistic budget and find a partner who delivers incredible value.
There’s no one-size-fits-all price tag for turning a great idea into a physical product. Costs can range from a few thousand dollars for a simple design concept to six figures for a complex electronic device. The key is to find a firm that is transparent about their pricing and can clearly explain how your investment translates into a tangible, manufacturable, and beautiful final product. Let’s walk through the common pricing models and cost factors so you can approach these conversations with confidence.
Project-Based vs. Retainer Pricing
Most industrial design firms use one of two primary pricing models: project-based or a retainer. A project-based, or fixed-fee, model involves a single price for a clearly defined scope of work. This is perfect when you have a specific product or campaign asset in mind with a clear start and end date. You’ll know the total cost upfront, which makes budgeting straightforward.
A retainer model, on the other hand, involves a recurring monthly fee for ongoing access to the design team. This is a great fit for agencies that have a steady stream of product-related work and want a dedicated partner on call. It fosters a deeper, more collaborative relationship and often provides more flexibility than a rigid project scope.
What Influences the Final Cost?
The final price of your project is shaped by several key factors. The complexity of the product is the biggest driver—a simple piece of branded merchandise will cost far less than a smart device with custom electronics. The materials you choose, the number of individual parts, and the complexity of assembly all play a significant role.
Beyond the product itself, the firm’s expertise and the scope of services also influence the cost. A seasoned firm like Jackson Hedden Inc. brings deep engineering and manufacturing knowledge to the table, which can prevent costly mistakes down the line. Generally, design costs make up about 5% to 20% of the total product development budget. Understanding these variables will help you see where your money is going and why.
Watch Out for Hidden Fees
A great partner will be upfront about all potential costs, but it’s smart to know what to look for. When you receive a proposal, make sure it clearly outlines what’s included. Ask about things like the number of revision rounds, prototyping costs, and support for patent applications, as these can sometimes be billed separately.
Different firms use various pricing models, from hourly rates to value-based fees, so be sure you understand how you’ll be billed. A detailed statement of work is your best friend here. It should specify all deliverables, timelines, and costs, ensuring there are no surprises. This transparency is the foundation of a healthy and productive partnership, keeping your project on track and on budget.
How to Budget for Your Project
The best way to get an accurate cost estimate is to start with a clear and comprehensive design brief. This document should outline your project goals, target audience, desired features, and any constraints. The more detail you can provide, the more precise a firm’s quote will be. Don’t hesitate to discuss your budget with potential partners early on; they can often suggest ways to achieve your goals within your financial limits.
It’s also wise to build a contingency of 10% to 15% into your budget. Product development is an iterative process, and unexpected challenges or brilliant new ideas can pop up along the way. Having a financial cushion gives you the flexibility to adapt without derailing the project.
How to Communicate Your Vision Clearly
The success of your project hinges on one thing: clear communication. Even the most talented industrial design firm can’t read your mind. Bringing a physical product to life is a collaborative dance, and it requires you to lead with a clear vision. When you articulate your goals, constraints, and creative direction effectively, you empower your design partner to deliver exceptional work that hits the mark. Think of it as building the foundation for a smooth process and a final product that exceeds expectations. A little prep work upfront saves a lot of time, money, and headaches down the line.
Write a Comprehensive Design Brief
Before you even think about CAD models or prototypes, you need a solid design brief. This document is your project’s North Star, outlining everything from the core problem you’re solving to the target audience, key features, and desired aesthetic. A common mistake is to jump into development with a half-baked idea, which leads to endless revisions and scope creep. A comprehensive design brief forces you to clarify your own thinking and gives the design team a concrete framework to build from. It ensures everyone is aligned on the objectives from day one, creating a single source of truth for the entire project.
Use Plenty of Visual Examples
Words can be subjective, but visuals create a shared language. One person’s “sleek and modern” is another’s “cold and sterile.” To avoid misinterpretation, create a mood board or a collection of visual references that capture the look, feel, and style you’re aiming for. Include examples of existing products, textures, color palettes, and brand aesthetics you admire. Providing sufficient visual references helps bridge the gap between the idea in your head and the designer’s ability to execute it. This is especially crucial for creative agencies looking to translate a specific campaign aesthetic into a physical object.
Set Clear Expectations from the Start
A great partnership is built on mutual understanding. Before kicking off the project, have an open conversation about process, timelines, and deliverables. Discuss how and when you’ll communicate, who the key points of contact are, and how many rounds of revisions are included in the scope. Establishing these ground rules shows that you value the designer’s time and expertise, setting a professional tone for the collaboration. When you ask the right questions and clarify expectations upfront, you prevent misunderstandings and ensure the workflow remains efficient and predictable for both your team and the design firm.
Manage Feedback and Revisions
Feedback is an essential part of the design process, but how you deliver it matters. Avoid vague comments like “I don’t like it.” Instead, provide specific, actionable, and consolidated feedback. Explain why something isn’t working and tie your comments back to the project goals outlined in the design brief. It’s a huge challenge for designers to transcribe what a client wants and bring a vision to life, so your clarity is key. Try to gather input from all your stakeholders at once to avoid sending conflicting notes. This makes the revision process a constructive dialogue rather than a frustrating cycle of guesswork.
Keep Good Documentation
Throughout the project, decisions will be made, and ideas will evolve. It’s vital to keep a written record of these changes. After a meeting, send a follow-up email summarizing the key takeaways and action items. If you have a Product Requirements Document (PRD), make sure it’s a living document that reflects the latest decisions. This simple habit of keeping good documentation creates accountability and prevents crucial details from falling through the cracks. It ensures everyone is on the same page, minimizes confusion about project scope, and provides a clear reference point if questions arise later in the process.
Key Questions to Ask Before You Hire
Finding the right industrial design firm is a lot like casting the lead role in a major production. You need a partner with the right skills, a compatible working style, and a proven track record. Before you sign a contract, it’s essential to ask a few direct questions to make sure you’re aligning with a team that can truly bring your agency’s creative vision to life. Think of this as your script for the initial conversations—it will help you identify the firms that get what you’re trying to do and have the technical chops to pull it off. Getting these answers upfront ensures a smoother process and a much better final product.
What's Your Relevant Experience?
Beyond a slick portfolio, you need to know if a firm has experience that’s directly relevant to your project. Ask to see case studies or examples of work in your client’s industry or a similar product category. If you’re developing a piece of wearable tech for a campaign, you want a partner who understands electronics and ergonomics, not just furniture design. It’s also smart to ask if they’ve worked with creative agencies before. A firm that understands the pace and collaborative nature of agency life will be a much better fit than one accustomed to slower, more traditional product development cycles. A strong project portfolio should tell a story of problem-solving, not just show off pretty pictures.
How Do You Manage Projects?
A brilliant concept can fall apart without a solid process to back it up. Ask the firm to walk you through their typical project workflow, from the initial brief to the final manufacturing handoff. How do they handle milestones, revisions, and approvals? Understanding their project management approach gives you a clear window into their organizational skills and how they keep things on track. Do they use specific software to manage tasks and timelines? Who will be your main point of contact? A team with a well-defined process is a team that respects your deadlines and budget.
What Are the Timelines and Deliverables?
Clarity is your best friend when it comes to project scope. Before kicking things off, you need a firm agreement on what will be delivered and when. Ask for a detailed project timeline that breaks the work into phases, with specific deliverables listed for each one. For example, phase one might include concept sketches and market research, while phase two delivers DFM-optimized CAD models and a bill of materials. This sets clear expectations from the start and gives you tangible milestones to review. It also helps prevent scope creep, ensuring the project stays focused and on schedule.
How Will We Communicate?
Great partnerships are built on great communication. This is especially true when you’re an agency coordinating between your client and your design partner. Discuss the best ways to stay in touch—are they active on Slack, or do they prefer scheduled weekly calls? Establish a regular cadence for updates so you’re never left wondering about progress. A clear communication plan is non-negotiable. It ensures feedback is shared efficiently, questions are answered quickly, and everyone involved feels connected and aligned throughout the project.
Can You Explain Your Cost Structure?
Let’s talk about money. It’s crucial to have a transparent conversation about costs before any work begins. Ask for a detailed breakdown of their pricing model, whether it’s a fixed project fee, an hourly rate, or a monthly retainer. Are prototyping costs, material fees, and rounds of revision included, or are those billed separately? Understanding their complete cost structure helps you budget accurately and avoids any awkward financial surprises down the road. A trustworthy partner will be upfront about all potential expenses and what’s included in their proposal.
Building a Successful Partnership
Choosing an industrial design firm is more than a simple transaction; it’s the start of a critical collaboration. The success of your product hinges on the strength of this relationship. You’re not just hiring a vendor—you’re bringing on a creative and technical partner who will become an extension of your team. The goal is to find a firm that aligns with your vision and has the technical chops to execute it flawlessly. A strong partnership is built on a foundation of clear communication, mutual respect, and shared goals, ensuring that the journey from concept to production is smooth, strategic, and ultimately successful. When you get this relationship right, you’re not just creating a product; you’re building a competitive advantage.
Set Clear, Shared Objectives
The best projects begin long before the first sketch is drawn. They start with a deep, shared understanding of the "why" behind the product. A great design partner will want to know more than just what you want to make; they’ll ask about your business goals, your target audience, and the problem you’re trying to solve. This initial discovery phase is crucial for alignment. By asking the right questions before any design project, a firm establishes a professional dynamic and ensures everyone is working toward the same definition of success. This clarity prevents scope creep down the line and makes sure the final product doesn’t just look good, but also performs for your business and resonates with your customers.
Manage Expectations on Both Sides
Product development is a journey with distinct phases, not a single leap from idea to finished product. A transparent partner will walk you through their process, setting clear expectations for timelines, deliverables, and decision points at every stage. It’s common for entrepreneurs to make mistakes like trying to file patents on ideas that aren't even finalized, which highlights a misunderstanding of the development timeline. A good firm will guide you on not just what to do, but when to do it. This includes being upfront about potential challenges and realistic about what can be achieved within your budget. Open, honest communication is the key to keeping the project on track and ensuring there are no surprises along the way.
Protect Your Intellectual Property
Protecting your intellectual property (IP) goes far beyond signing a non-disclosure agreement. While an NDA is a standard first step, a truly strategic design partner helps safeguard your innovation through the design itself. They work with you to create a product that is unique, defensible, and difficult to replicate. This involves making smart choices about materials, mechanisms, and aesthetics. Understanding that the cost of an object is tied to factors like part count and manufacturing methods allows a firm to build a protective moat around your design. Your partner should have clear protocols for handling confidential information and be able to articulate how their design process strengthens your IP position from day one.
Establish Quality Control Checks
Bringing a new product to life is a significant investment, with design and engineering fees representing a substantial part of the budget. To protect that investment, quality control cannot be an afterthought tacked on at the end. A reliable firm integrates quality checks throughout the entire development process. This means conducting rigorous design reviews, performing thorough prototype testing, validating material choices, and running pre-production inspections. These built-in checkpoints de-risk the project at every stage, ensuring that the final product not only matches the 3D render but also functions perfectly, meets all safety and performance standards, and delivers the experience you promised your customers.
Plan for Production from Day One
A beautiful design is only valuable if it can be manufactured efficiently and at scale. This is where the concept of Design for Manufacturability (DFM) becomes critical. The best industrial design firms don’t just create stunning concepts; they engineer products that are ready for the factory floor. They consider production constraints, material sourcing, assembly line efficiency, and cost targets from the very first brainstorming session. This foresight is essential, as project complexity and manufacturing feasibility directly influence the final cost and timeline. By planning for production from the start, you avoid the costly and time-consuming nightmare of having to re-engineer a "finished" design just to make it buildable.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Choosing an industrial design partner is a big decision, and it’s easy to get tripped up along the way, especially when you’re on a tight deadline. The right firm can feel like a seamless extension of your creative team, turning your vision into a tangible product that wows your client. The wrong one can lead to missed deadlines, budget overruns, and a final product that doesn't live up to the concept.
Think of this process as casting for a critical role in your project. You wouldn't hire the first person who walked in the door, and you shouldn't do that with your design partner either. Taking a moment to be deliberate and aware of the common pitfalls can save you a world of headaches down the road. By sidestepping these five common mistakes, you can build a partnership that not only delivers an amazing physical product but also makes the entire creative process smoother and more successful.
Rushing Your Decision
In the agency world, everything moves fast. When a client approves a project with a physical component, the pressure is on to get moving immediately. It’s tempting to hire the first design firm that seems decent enough, just to check a box and show progress. But rushing this choice is one of the biggest mistakes you can make. A hasty decision can lock you into a partnership that isn’t the right fit for your project’s specific needs, your team’s workflow, or your client’s brand. Taking a little extra time to thoroughly evaluate your options isn't a delay—it's a strategic investment in the project's success.
Overlooking Technical Expertise
A beautiful portfolio is great, but it doesn't tell the whole story. A concept that looks incredible on screen is useless if it can't be manufactured efficiently and reliably. Many agencies get dazzled by slick renderings and forget to ask about the engineering behind them. Does the firm have deep experience in mechanical and electrical engineering? Do they understand Design for Manufacturing (DFM) principles? Without this technical foundation, you risk ending up with a prototype that’s impossible to produce at scale or a product that fails in the real world. Always look past the pretty pictures and confirm the firm has the engineering chops to back up their designs.
Focusing Only on the Price Tag
Budget is always a factor, but letting it be the only factor is a recipe for disappointment. The lowest bid often comes with trade-offs you can’t afford, like inexperienced designers, cut corners on materials, or a lack of strategic thinking. A cheaper firm might not have the expertise to solve complex engineering challenges, leading to costly revisions and delays later on. Instead of just comparing quotes, think about the value each firm brings. A slightly higher investment in a partner with a proven track record, strong technical skills, and a collaborative process will almost always deliver a better return and a far superior final product.
Letting Communication Slip
Clear, consistent communication is the bedrock of any successful creative partnership. If a potential firm is slow to respond, vague in their answers, or difficult to get a hold of during the vetting process, consider it a major red flag. Before you sign anything, establish how you’ll work together. Who will be your main point of contact? How often will you have check-ins? What project management tools do they use? A great partner will feel like part of your team, and that starts with a communication style that is proactive and transparent. A well-written creative brief is a great starting point, but it's the ongoing dialogue that truly makes a project successful.
Skipping Your Homework
Finally, don't forget to do your due diligence. It’s not enough to just browse a firm’s website. Dig deeper. Ask for case studies relevant to your industry or project type. Request client references and actually call them. Ask about their experience with the firm’s process, communication, and ability to deliver on time and on budget. This is your chance to get an unbiased, third-party perspective on what it’s really like to work with them. Taking the time to do this research ensures that the firm you choose not only has the right skills but also aligns with your team’s values and work style.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How is working with an industrial design firm different from just hiring a freelance designer? Think of it as hiring an entire orchestra versus a solo musician. A freelance designer can be fantastic for creating a beautiful concept or visual. A firm, however, brings an integrated team of designers, mechanical engineers, and electrical engineers to the table. This means the person designing the look of your product is working directly with the person figuring out how to make it function and how it will be assembled in a factory. This holistic approach prevents the all-too-common problem of ending up with a gorgeous design that’s impossible or wildly expensive to actually produce.
We're a creative agency, not product engineers. How much technical knowledge do we need to have? You don’t need to have any. Your expertise is in brand strategy, creative vision, and campaign goals—and that’s exactly what we need from you. A great design partner’s job is to be your technical translator. You bring the "what" and the "why," and they handle the "how." They should be able to guide you through the process, explaining complex engineering decisions in a clear and simple way so you can make informed choices for your client without needing a degree in mechanical engineering.
What’s the single most important thing we should prepare before approaching a design firm? Hands down, a comprehensive design brief. This document is the foundation for the entire project. It should clearly outline your goals, the target audience, key features, desired aesthetic, and any budget or timeline constraints. Taking the time to think through these details and get them on paper before you start the conversation is invaluable. It not only helps firms give you an accurate quote but also ensures everyone is aligned from day one, which saves a massive amount of time and prevents misunderstandings later.
How long does the industrial design process usually take? This is the ultimate "it depends" question, but I can give you a general idea. The timeline is driven almost entirely by the complexity of the product. A simple piece of merchandise without moving parts might move from concept to production-ready files in a few weeks. A complex electronic device with custom circuit boards, firmware, and multiple mechanical parts could take several months. A good firm will provide a detailed project plan with clear phases and milestones so you always know where you are in the process and what’s coming next.
Will you help us find a factory to actually manufacture the product? A design firm's primary role is to get your product fully engineered and ready for manufacturing. This includes creating all the technical files, drawings, and material specifications a factory needs to produce it accurately. While not all firms manage production, a true partner like Jackson Hedden Inc. will prepare everything for a seamless handoff. We often help facilitate introductions to trusted manufacturing partners from our network and can provide oversight during the initial production run to ensure the final quality matches the design intent.
