What Was the Role of the Consultant Industrial Designer in American Product Design of the 1930s?

The 1930s was a pivotal decade for American product design. Many new materials, production processes, and design approaches emerged during this period, and the role of the consultant industrial designer was critical in helping companies to make the most of these advances.

Consultant industrial designers acted as intermediaries between industry, consumers, and suppliers. Their job was to understand the needs of their clients and to develop creative solutions that could be produced efficiently and affordably. They had to have an intimate knowledge of available materials, production techniques, and design trends in order to create products that were both aesthetically pleasing and highly functional.

In addition to providing design services, these consultants also helped clients with marketing strategies. They would create promotional materials such as brochures, advertisements, and catalogs that helped to communicate the unique qualities of their products. Consultants also provided advice on how to best market the products they designed in order to maximize sales potential.

The 1930s saw a surge in consumer demand for stylish products with innovative features. This increased competition among manufacturers led them to seek out experienced consultants who could help them stay ahead of the curve. Consultants used their expertise in design principles such as form, color, texture, line quality, proportion, ergonomics, materials selection and fabrication processes in order to create visually appealing designs with practical functions.

The consulting industrial designer was also instrumental in helping companies adopt new production methods such as assembly line manufacturing or mass-production techniques that allowed them to keep up with increasing demand for their products while still maintaining high levels of quality control.

By leveraging their knowledge of product development practices and marketing strategies along with their creative eye for design aesthetics, consultant industrial designers made a significant impact on American product design during this era. The designs they created have become iconic symbols of style for generations and are still admired today for their timeless beauty and practical utility.

Conclusion: The role of the consultant industrial designer in American product design during the 1930s was essential in helping companies produce innovative designs that met consumer needs while remaining affordable and efficient to produce. They worked closely with clients to develop aesthetically pleasing products that had practical functions while also providing advice on how best to market them in order to maximize sales potential. The result is a legacy of iconic designs that remain popular today due to their timeless beauty as well as excellent craftsmanship and utility.