Hello, my name is Jacob, and I’m all about product design. For the past year, I’ve worked with Design Interface Inc. as an Industrial Designer to design products, meet customer needs, and innovate bold new ideas in a variety of fields. It’s been a wonderful experience, and as I now set off for Indonesia as part of the Peace Corps for the next stage of my life, I have come to reflect on everything I’ve learned at the studio.
Of the many skills I’ve gained, the most important to the success of our work at DI has absolutely been collaboration. DI is a tight-knit team of professionals who know how to get things done and learning how to not just become a part of the process but to insert my own ideas has been a challenging but very rewarding experience. When I first was given the design lead on a project and saw my initial ideas change and evolve over the course of months into a fully manufactured product to be bought by consumers the world over it was a deeply humbling experience to see how far my concepts could travel. Even when the work became a grind at times, knowing that each day would bring new experiences and ideas kept me motivated and engaged with improving my design skills, and working with others to bring each project to a close.
Design Interface, like many design studios, is a place that is always evolving and moving forwards with new ideas and new technologies. In my time here I have seen 3D printing move from filament forms meant to illustrate to resin creations that can be used as functional prototypes. With the movement of manufacturing capabilities into the studio, the roles and expectations of designers have changed as well, and I have had a ton of fun learning the ropes with my fellow designers and creating incredible products in-house that would have required months of manufacturing and shipping from overseas in the yesteryears. Perhaps even more exciting has been the advent of AI technologies in the design process at DI over just the time I’ve worked at the studio. I recall playing around with primitive image AIs in my first few months of working and to see the technology grow and evolve with such rapidity that it is now a common tool in the workflows at the studio is astounding. I’ll be away in Indonesia for my service for over 2 years, and I cannot imagine what incredible technologies and techniques will be the norm by the time I return to the States.
It’s truly an exciting time to be a product designer, and Design Interface Inc. has been for me an incredible step forward in both my career as a designer and in my personal journey of growth as an individual. When I stepped through these doors a year ago, I was nervous about all the challenges that having coworkers, increasing the scale of my designs, and having the expectations of a legacy of design work would bring. Today, as my time at Design Interface comes to a close, I am more excited about the future than ever before.
Design Interface Inc. can show you what is possible. Our forward-thinking solutions for product design, package design, medical device design, graphic design and photography unlock the value of your ideas as we communicate your message and goals. See more here: https://designinterface.com/