An Introduction To Industrial Design Consultancy

If you're looking to develop a product, you’re likely considering working with an industrial design consultancy. While there are several ways to bring a product to life—such as hiring an in-house design team or collaborating directly with manufacturers—partnering with an industrial design consultancy is often the best way to maximise your product’s potential.

We’ve created this guide to answer common questions about industrial design consultancy, helping you understand what they do and how they can benefit your business.

What Is Industrial Design?

Industrial design is the process of creating and developing products that are functional, aesthetically appealing and manufacturable.

It involves combining design, engineering, and user experience to create products that are intuitive, innovative, functional, manufacturable, and user-friendly. Industrial designers consider factors like materials, ergonomics, use case, user wants and needs, usability, and sustainability to create products that meet both consumer and business needs.

What Does An Industrial Design Consultancy Do?

An Industrial Design Consultancy is a professional service that works with businesses, entrepreneurs and startups to help them create, develop and optimise products for the commercial market.

A top-tier Design Consultancy focuses on solving real-world problems with innovative ideas, transforming them into manufacturable products poised for commercial success. They take the time to deeply understand your business, values, and goals, uncovering market opportunities to create products that seamlessly align with your brand identity.

Why Do Companies Hire Industrial Design Consultants?

Companies hire industrial design consultants for several reasons:

• Fresh Perspectives: External experts bring new ideas and approaches that in-house teams might overlook.
• Expertise in Design & Engineering: They have the skills to merge aesthetics, ergonomics, technical feasibility and manufacturability.
• Time Efficiency: Hiring an external consultancy can be much more time efficient as they are able to dedicate full time to projects and are not limited by internal processes and approval levels.
• Market Competitiveness: Great design gives businesses an edge though stand out products, innovative solutions, improved user experience and customer     satisfaction.

How Does Design Consultancy Work?

Although in reality the design process is iterative and never linear, the process typically consists of these stages:

1. Onboarding – Introductions, gathering an understanding of your starting point, your business, goals and market opportunities.
2. Research & Strategy – Understanding user needs, market trends, and technical requirements.
3. Concept Development – Brainstorming and concept generation of potential design solutions.
4. Prototyping & Testing – Creating prototypes to test form, function, and usability.
5. Engineering & Manufacturing Support – Refining designs for mass production.
6. Supplier Support – Ensuring a smooth transition from design to production.

What Are The Benefits Of Hiring An Industrial Design Consultancy?

Improved Product Innovation

Design consultancies bring an outside perspective, delivering creative solutions and a user-centred approach, helping companies develop groundbreaking products.

Enhanced Usability

Design consultancies bring an outside perspective, delivering creative solutions and a user-centred approach, helping companies develop groundbreaking products. Design consultancies like FLYNN solve problems daily and are able to think outside the box to come up with solutions not though of before.

Becoming A Design Led Company

A top-tier design consultancy will help you leverage design as a strategic advantage, creating a seamless fusion between product and brand that enhances market appeal and drives sales.

Cost Savings

Avoiding design flaws early in the process saves money on rework and production errors. At FLYNN we are always considering your ROI and our goal is to deliver a commercially successful product in the most cost effective way. We consider materials, manufacture process, number of parts, complexity, OEM vs Custom, making sure our selection delivers the needed results without unnecessary cost.

Faster Time-to-Market

Experienced consultants streamline the development process, reducing delays and getting products to market sooner.

How To Choose The Right Industrial Design Consultancy?

Consider these factors when selecting a consultancy:

• Industry Experience: Do they have experience in your specific field?
• Portfolio Quality: Are their past projects innovative and well-executed?
• Technical Capabilities: Can they handle engineering, prototyping, and manufacturing support?
• Client Testimonials: Do past clients speak highly of their work?
• Collaboration Style: Do they align with your company’s vision and work processes?

What Are The Different Types Of Industrial Design?

Industrial design consultancies serve a wide range of industries, including but not limited too:

• Consumer electronics
• Green technology
• Medical devices
• Home appliances
• Industrial equipment
• Wearable technology
• Automotive
• Drug delivery
• Agriculture technology
• Maritime technology
• Homewares

Is There A Difference Between Design Agency And Design Consultancy?

Simply put, no—'design agency' and 'design consultancy' typically mean the same thing. The terms are interchangeable, so when searching for product development services, be sure to check both.

How Much Does A Product Designer Cost?

The cost of working with a design consultancy can range from£5,000 to over £500,000, depending on the project. Key factors influencing the price include technical risk, required innovation, design complexity, electronic integration, materials, and prototyping. Product design is undeniably a front-loaded investment, but when executed well, it can deliver exceptional ROI. For a more detailed breakdown of product development costs, see our in-depth review here.

Conclusion

An industrial design consultancy can be a game-changer for businesses looking to create innovative, user-friendly, and market-ready products. By leveraging expert design and engineering support, companies can reduce risks, cut costs, and accelerate time-to-market. Choosing the right consultancy ensures your product stands out in a competitive market, offering real value to consumers.

At FLYNN Product Design, we empower our clients to lead through design, delivering innovative solutions that solve real-world problems. With over 20 years of industry experience, we have a deep understanding of market demands and how to maximize return on investment through smart product design.

If you're looking for an agency to support your product development, we’d love to connect and show you how we can help bring your vision to life.

We provide businesses with product design consultancy, industrial design, prototype design & related services.

‍Schedule your free meeting today and give us our next challenge !