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Design, be it products of
necessity, technology, beauty or any other accessories is
rapidly going through a phase of change and innovation due
to the increasing consumer demand of preferred utility and
comfort. Opportunities in design profession galore for
students as there are hundreds of sectors which need highly
skilled and innovative professionals. Engineering,
manufacturing, automobiles, fashion, entertainment,
advertising, interior designing, food, IT, architecture are
some of the sectors where designers are in great demand. The
career in design holds immense scope and potential for
skilled and talented individuals with innovative ideas.
Who are Designers?
Industrial or product design can be explained as the idea
generation, concept development, testing and manufacturing
or implementation of a physical object or service. Designers
whether industrial or product, conceptualize and evaluate
ideas, making them tangible through products in a more
systematic approach. The role of a product designer
encompasses many characteristics of the marketing manager,
product manager and design engineer.
Product designers possess skills needed to bring products
from its conception to the market. Aesthetics sense is
important in product design along with knowledge of
technology, ergonomics, usability, stress analysis and
materials engineering. Broadly product or industrial
designers design products ranging from automobiles,
airplanes, medical equipment, sports products, ceramics,
office or home accessories to other consumer utility
equipments or objects.
Skills Required
Apart from the basic key qualities like innovative thinking,
creative ability, the ability to draw, visual perception,
sound aesthetics, empathy with the user and creative
engineering, designers also require the following skills:
• Presentation skills
• Communication skills
• Commercial and entrepreneurial skills
• Problem-solving skills
• Eye for detail
• Ability to work in team
• General computer skills (knowledge of design tools like
CAD etc)
Education &Training
Generally a bachelor's degree or diploma in Design after
10+2 is desirable. But a Masters degree in your area of
specialisation gives you an edge over others as you gain
in-depth knowledge and traits of the trade. The course in
Design is an intensive professional programme which offers
specialisation in the following:
• Product Design
• Furniture & Interior Design
• Ceramic & Glass Design
• Graphic Design, Animation Film Design
• Film & Video Communication
• Exhibition (Spatial) Design
• Textile Design
• Toy Design
For Masters programme the eligibility is a BE, B Tech, B
Des, B Arch, B Interior Design or equivalent under the
10+2+3 pattern. The selection criteria for some institutes
are scores obtained in common entrance exams like CEED, NEED
or GATE.
CEED: Common Entrance Examination for Design is an all India
examination conducted by the Indian Institute of Technology,
Bombay (IIT, Bombay), on behalf of the Ministry of Human
Resources Development, Department of Education, Government
of India. The examination tests the candidates for visual
perception ability, drawing skills, design aptitude and
communication skills.
NEED: National Entrance Examination for Design is a
qualifying examination of the consortium partner
institutions for admission to the undergraduate level
programmes in design. NEED is conducted by the National
Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, as a nodal agency on behalf
of the consortium partners. The institutes that accept NEED
are National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad; D J Academy of
Design, Coimbatore; IILM School of Design, Gurgaon; Indian
Institute of Craft & Design, Jaipur; Wigan & Leigh College,
New Delhi; Srishti School of Art, Design & Technology,
Bengaluru; and Pearl Academy of Fashion, New Delhi.
Industrial engineering: For admission to a course in
Industrial Design, a candidate should complete his 10+2 with
Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics before appearing for the
any of the entrance tests of design. The post graduate
course in this field is offered by selected institutes for
which a candidate should complete his Bachelors programme in
design or architectural engineering.
Scope & Prospects
There are various career options for designers. They can be
employed by manufacturing establishments, large corporations
or design firms. Even the Government of India recruits a
large number of designers. Designers can also freelance or
start their own venture. You can also choose to become a
teacher in design school and university. As a teacher and
faculty you have the option to continue to provide
consultation or operate small design studios to complement
the classroom teaching.
Some of the fields to which designers can make their
profession are:
• Fashion Design
• Interior Design
• Graphic Design & Animation
• Textile Design
• CAD Engineer
• Architecture
• Advertising
• Ceramic Design
• Automobile Design
• Public Utility Equipments Design
• Appliances and House Ware Design
Career Path
Mostly all the courses in Design provide professional
experience, training or internship during their programme.
Students are exposed to a wide variety of real life
situations, and get to test their skills on problem solving.
This brings students close to the industry and help in them
understanding the design industry dynamics. They are also
helpful in decision making about which career option they
want to choose. After 1-2 years of on-the-job training,
students gradually advance to higher level positions. They
may undertake positions of chief designer, design department
head, or other supervisory positions in large firms or
corporate houses. After gaining good experience you can
start your own design studios. Jobs
You can expect tough competition on the job front as there
are many creative individuals who are attracted to the
Design career. You have to have an extra talent and be
up-to-date with the technology to be successful. Designers
with strong backgrounds in engineering and computer-aided
design and extensive business expertise generally have the
best prospects. Designers who can closely monitor and react
to, changing customer demands-and who can work with
marketing and strategic planning staffs to come up with new
ideas and products-will improve their job prospects.
Conclusion
Design is a career which offers great challenges and at the
same time immense scope for your creativity and innovative
ideas. It provides you with the satisfaction of seeing your
ideas into shape and form and obviously getting recognition.
You have to possess those extraordinary skills to make your
place in this very competitive market. There are many
institutes that offer accredited Design programmes or
courses and help students through the placement process,
which you can join to kick start your career in design.
Some Institutes offering courses in Design
in India :
• National Institute of Design, NID, Ahmedabad
• National Institute of Fashion Technology, NIFT
• Shrishti School of Art, Design and Technology, Bangalore
• Raffles Design International, Mumbai
• IILM School of Design, Gurgaon
• Pearl Academy, Delhi
• IICD, Jaipur
• DJ Academy, Coimbatore
• Wigan & Leigh College (WLC), New Delhi
• IIT Guwahati
• IIT Mumbai
• IIT Delhi
• School of Planning and Architecture (SPA), Delhi
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