What is Industrial Design ? ?

Answer 1

Industrial design is designing products for industry that aren't really considered artistic: tools, machines, etc. It is more engineering than anything. It is making elements come together in a functional way. You also hear about ergonomics...where you make products that are shaped to be comfortable when used by the human body. Ergonomic handles, ergonomic chairs, ergonomic keyboards. Some industrial design is more artsy...they want to make the item pretty enough to display, such as the new line of handheld vacuum cleaners. Cellphones are getting pretty snazzy too, as well as things that are meant to be out like the colored Macintosh computers.

When you are talking about interior design, industrial is a style that is functional and has a certain aesthetic. It is using elements of construction from factories, etc. that happen to be pretty, to make a space interesting. Concrete used for kitchens, floors, etc. Stainless steel. Exposed ducts and pipes and raw brick. Lots of lofts start out very industrial, because they used to be industrial spaces. You have to warm it up to live in it.

Answer 2

industrial design is like product design. you would design products like staplers, kayaks, showerheads, medical instruments, motorcycles, etc... the possibilities are endless. a lot of the design is done on computer and then you make small prototypes of the actual product. you have to think of things like how the product fits in your hand and how comfortable it is and what materials it should be made out of. i have several friends in this field of work.
check out this:
http://www.scad.edu/academic/majors/idus/index.cfm