Description:
Develop and design manufactured products, such as cars, home appliances, and children's toys. Combine artistic talent with research on product use, marketing, and materials to create the most functional and appealing product design.
Tasks
- Prepare sketches of ideas, detailed drawings, illustrations, artwork, or blueprints, using drafting instruments, paints and brushes, or computer-aided design equipment.
- Direct and coordinate the fabrication of models or samples and the drafting of working drawings and specification sheets from sketches.
- Modify and refine designs, using working models, to conform with customer specifications, production limitations, or changes in design trends.
- Coordinate the look and function of product lines.
- Confer with engineering, marketing, production, or sales departments, or with customers, to establish and evaluate design concepts for manufactured products.
- Present designs and reports to customers or design committees for approval, and discuss need for modification.
- Evaluate feasibility of design ideas, based on factors such as appearance, safety, function, serviceability, budget, production costs/methods, and market characteristics.
- Read publications, attend showings, and study competing products and design styles and motifs to obtain perspective and generate design concepts.
- Research production specifications, costs, production materials and manufacturing methods, and provide cost estimates and itemized production requirements.
- Design graphic material for use as ornamentation, illustration, or advertising on manufactured materials and packaging or containers.
Knowledge
- Design
- Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
- Engineering and Technology
- Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
- Mathematics
- Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
- English Language
- Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Production and Processing
- Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
- Administration and Management
- Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
- Computers and Electronics
- Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
- Clerical
- Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
- Customer and Personal Service
- Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
- Mechanical
- Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
Skills
- Time Management
- Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Active Listening
- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Reading Comprehension
- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
- Mathematics
- Using mathematics to solve problems.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Troubleshooting
- Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
- Operations Analysis
- Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
- Writing
- Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Critical Thinking
- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
- Active Learning
- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Abilities
- Oral Comprehension
- The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
- Oral Expression
- The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
- Written Comprehension
- The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
- Fluency of Ideas
- The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
- Originality
- The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
- Deductive Reasoning
- The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
- Near Vision
- The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
- Speech Recognition
- The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
- Information Ordering
- The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
- Inductive Reasoning
- The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Work Activities
- Getting Information
- Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
- Interacting With Computers
- Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
- Thinking Creatively
- Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
- Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
- Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
- Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
- Documenting/Recording Information
- Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
- Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Work Context
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
- Face-to-Face Discussions
- How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
- Electronic Mail
- How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
- Spend Time Sitting
- How much does this job require sitting?
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
- Time Pressure
- How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
- Work With Work Group or Team
- How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
- Contact With Others
- How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
- Telephone
- How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Interests
- Artistic
- Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
- Enterprising
- Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
- Realistic
- Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
- Investigative
- Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
- Social
- Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
- Conventional
- Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Work Style
- Attention to Detail
- Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
- Dependability
- Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
- Analytical Thinking
- Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
- Integrity
- Job requires being honest and ethical.
- Initiative
- Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
- Cooperation
- Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
- Independence
- Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
- Persistence
- Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
- Innovation
- Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
- Adaptability/Flexibility
- Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Work Value
- Achievement
- Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
- Relationships
- Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
- Working Conditions
- Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
- Recognition
- Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
- Independence
- Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employs to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
- Support
- Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Related Occupations
- Landscape Architects
- Architectural Drafters
- Art Directors
- Fashion Designers
- Interior Designers
- Orthotists and Prosthetists
- Costume Attendants
- Model Makers, Metal and Plastic
Common Lay Titles
- Art Glass Designer
- Athletic Shoe Designer
- Automobile Designer
- Automotive Designer
- Bank Note Designer
- Bicycle Designer
- Bike Designer
- Boat Designer
- Body Stylist
- Car Body Designer
- Ceramic Designer
- Ceramic Mold Designer
- Cloth Designer
- Color Adviser
- Color Consultant
- Color Expert
- Commercial Interior Designer
- Creative Director
- Design Engineer
- Designer
- Electrical Designer
- Embroidery Designer
- Fabric Designer
- Furniture Designer
- Game Designer
- Graphic Designer
- Industrial Designer
- Jewelry Designer
- Lighting Designer
- Mechanical Engineer
- Memorial Designer
- Millinery Designer
- Mold Designer
- Motorcycle Designer
- Ornamental Metalwork Designer
- Package Designer
- Packaging Designer
- Pottery Decoration Designer
- Product Design Engineer
- Product Designer
- Product Developer
- Product Development Engineer
- Product Engineer
- Production Designer
- Project Engineer
- Robot Designer
- Robotic Toy Inventor
- Roller Coaster Designer
- Rug Designer
- Safety Clothing and Equipment Developer
- Sign Designer
- Silver Designer
- Snowboard Designer
- Stained Glass Artist
- Stained Glass Window Designer
- Surfboard Designer
- Textile Designer
- Tile Designer
- Toy Designer
- Toy Maker
- Weapons Designer
- Weapons Engineer