Industrial design involves the research and design of the whole range of consumer and capital products used by people. These are as diverse as telephones and transportation, kitchen appliances and exhibition systems.

The industrial designer generally works as part of a team involving engineering, production and marketing. The industrial designer initially concentrates on establishing the concept as a marketable, producible, useable and socially responsible product; and subsequently details the human factors (ergonomics), appearance (style) and mode of operation. Frequently the designer becomes involved in the corporate image of companies and their products as well as the graphics of the product's packaging and the associated retail support systems.

Graduates are employed either in manufacturing companies or consultancies, however some graduates may subsequently choose to specialise in aspects of marketing, engineering, product management or design management.

Studying Industrial Design at UNSW

At an undergraduate level, the Faculty of Built Environment (www.fbe.unsw.edu.au) offers a four year full-time Bachelor of Industrial Design program. It also offers a Bachelor of Industrial Design/Master of Commerce program which allows students to add a Masters degree in Commerce to the Bachelor of Industrial Design program. Postgraduate research and coursework programs are also available.