With fall among us, we’re starting to get into new and former routines again. September isn’t always about going back to school, it can be a refresh for most people after the summer of fun in the sun. As a product designer at a product design consultancy, it’s easy to deal with a million different challenges every day, from creative burnout to different challenges you are trying to solve in the design itself.
Professionals often look to design communities, resources, and tools as part of their regular workflow to help them through the challenges of their jobs. Here are some resources we’ve found to be incredibly helpful for product designers and inventors.
Invention conception.
The Best Resources for Inventors Working With a Product Design Consultancy
Sketch App Sources
With over 1000 free sketch resources uploaded by designers from around the world, Sketch App Sources is a favorite among all types of designers at a product design consultancy and beyond. The site is a collection of plugins, tutorials, tips, articles, etc. and thrives off a community of designers that want to learn, teach, collaborate and share their work and passion for design.
Niice is a tool that’s great for helping you nail the right look and feel for your brand or your clients. Niice has quickly become essential to any design process with its user-friendly way to make mood boards that allow you to clearly represent the look and feel of a design in an easily comprehensible way to both internal designers as well as external clients and stakeholders.
Moodboard.
Every designer no matter, if you’re working for a product design consultancy or yourself, starts any design process by brainstorming, often this process takes place on whiteboards. However, it’s 2018 and moving that brainstorm session virtually can be easier than a whiteboard which can be easily erased. Storm Board lets you brainstorm, organize, and prioritize your brainstorm sessions.
What are some of your favorite tools and resources as a product designer?
About: MAKO Design + Invent is the original firm providing world-class consumer product development services tailored to startups, small manufacturers, and inventors. Simply put, we are the leading one-stop-shop for developing your physical product from idea to store shelves, all in a high-quality, cost-effective, and timely manner. We operate as one powerhouse 30-person product design team spread across 4 offices to serve you (Austin, Miami, San Francisco, & Toronto). We have full-stack in-house industrial design, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, patent referral, prototyping, and manufacturing services. To assist our startup and inventor clients, in addition to above, we help with business strategy, product strategy, marketing, and sales/distribution for all consumer product categories. Also, our founder Kevin Mako hosts The Product Startup Podcast, the industry's leading hardware podcast. Check it out for tips, interviews, and best practices for hardware startups, inventors, and product developers. Click HERE to learn more about MAKO Design + Invent!
