{"id":47076,"date":"2026-01-19T20:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-20T02:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cadcrowd.com\/blog\/?p=47076"},"modified":"2025-12-09T21:03:55","modified_gmt":"2025-12-10T03:03:55","slug":"what-are-proven-product-design-principles-when-working-with-companies-freelancers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cadcrowd.com\/blog\/what-are-proven-product-design-principles-when-working-with-companies-freelancers\/","title":{"rendered":"What Are Proven Product Design Principles when Working with Companies & Freelancers?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Dieter Rams\u2019 10 principles of good design, introduced in the late 1970s, are arguably the most influential product design guidelines still implemented today. The principles basically outline the specific traits that make a product \u201cgood\u201d from the perspective of both the product designers<\/a> and the consumers. According to Rams, a good design must be innovative, useful, aesthetic, understandable, unobtrusive, honest, long-lasting, thorough down to the last detail, environmentally-friendly, and actually have as little design as possible. Considering the all-encompassing nature of the principles, it is likely that industrial design teams<\/a> and agencies everywhere in the world implement them as part of the standard approach to new product development. <\/p>

That said, when you commission a new product to a design agency or a freelance industrial designer, you may need to reinforce those principles with some additional guidelines to keep the development process practical, target-oriented, and aiming at the right objectives. Before you take this the wrong way, let\u2019s make it clear that no one says Rams\u2019 design principles are lacking; however, it\u2019s important to make sure that the product development professionals<\/a> you hire don\u2019t stray too far from your original product idea. <\/p>

At Cad Crowd, all the product designers have been thoroughly vetted for experience, expertise, professionalism, and communication skills before they can offer their services on the platform. This is to make sure that you always end up hiring professionals who are willing to listen to your ideas of a product, work solely based on your specific design requirements, and materialize the concept into something tangible in accordance with the project brief.<\/p>

RELATED: Why Design for Manufacturability (DfM) is Essential for Product Success When Hiring a Design Firm<\/a><\/strong><\/p>

Design principles when commissioning an NPD project<\/h2>

Working with design agencies or freelance industrial designers<\/a> for a new product development can be a challenging task. Much of the collaborative process is about maintaining good communication to keep everyone on the same page. And that\u2019s why it\u2019s necessary to put the following principles into practice.<\/p>

Usefulness is the highest priority<\/h3>

It makes complete sense that usefulness is the most important indicator of a successful design. If people just cannot find any good use for the product, well then, you can say the design has failed miserably. \u201cUsefulness\u201d in this case means that the product can be utilized to help people achieve its intended benefits and earn the values it promises to deliver.<\/p>

Values through usefulness could be functional, social, emotional, environmental, or financial. For example, a BIC pen lets you take notes comfortably without worries of ink-bleeding (functional); an exquisite Montblanc fountain pen impresses your coworkers (social); your Parker fineliner holds special place on your desk because it\u2019s a gift from your kid (emotional); a wooden Pilot ballpoint pen serves an environmental value thanks to its sustainable material; a custom-made gold fountain pen might be a good investment. In any case, the product must offer certain values that consumers can understand and benefit from.<\/p>

RELATED: The Importance of Iteration in Product Development & Working with Product Design Companies<\/a><\/strong><\/p>

A solution to an existing problem<\/h3>

In an attempt to be innovative, however, it\u2019s sometimes easy for product concept design firms<\/a> to fall into the trap of designing a product to solve a problem that doesn\u2019t actually exist. For example, a company can probably create a backpack that opens from the bottom, an L-shaped TV remote, a computer mouse with touchscreen buttons, an all-steel acoustic guitar, and the like. <\/p>

One of the keys to market success is the product\u2019s ability to provide a solution to a specific problem. For instance, the LifeStraw is widely popular as it gives you near instant access to clean water even in the wild; the iRobot Roomba has sold tens of millions of units as it makes cleaning much easier; the LED lamp has now become standard everywhere thanks to its energy-saving benefits. Those products thrive in the market simply because they deliver real benefits to consumers.<\/p>

A good product focuses on the core features<\/h3>

There\u2019s a reason why most companies create divisions or categorizations for their products. It\u2019s almost always a bad idea to design a product that tries to be good at everything. Let\u2019s say you hire a 3D design company<\/a> to create footwear that\u2019s supposed to be good for both hiking and running. While it\u2019s certainly possible to invent a new kind of soles and materials to cater to each purpose, the design company has a monumental challenge to create a pair of shoes that performs great at both. This is why Adidas, Nike, and all other shoe brands group their products in various categories.<\/p>

RELATED: Why Should You Hire Professional Product Design Companies and Services Experts<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>

Instead of trying to create a master of none, it\u2019s wise to build a product that excels at a specific purpose. To some extent, the approach projects the impression that your product is a specialized object designed for a particular task. Some say it\u2019s counterintuitive to target only a small portion of the market, but the journey to broader recognition and popularity starts with a small success first. <\/p>

\"product<\/figure>

User experience is the product itself<\/h3>

Every single interaction someone has with the product becomes a user experience. While the two are technically different things, don\u2019t be surprised if people think of them as one and the same. A product can be aesthetically pleasing, made of high-quality materials, and designed to be a sophisticated alternative to the competitors. But as soon as consumers realize the product is difficult to use with a confusing button layout and complex operation, they will associate it with inconvenience.<\/p>

A prime example of the case is the Apple Magic Mouse<\/a>. As far as the physical device is concerned, the mouse has a striking visual appeal with smooth design lines and curves all across the surface. Not only does the mouse look sleek and futuristic, but it also works well with macOS and iPadOS. The user experience, however, tells a different story. A resounding criticism concerns Apple\u2019s design choice to put the charging port at the bottom, rendering the mouse useless when plugged into power. Even if the device itself is useful and does offer a good solution to use a mouse with an iPad, the overall user experience is ruined by the poorly positioned charging port. This is a frustrating interaction and ultimately what forces people to look for an alternative.<\/p>

RELATED: Simple Strategies to Improve Your Product Innovation Process for Design Service Firms<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>

You make the products for users, not for the designers<\/h3>

The main reason behind simplicity in design is to make the product as understandable as possible for users. The product designers<\/a> need to try to see things from users\u2019 perspectives, so the resulting product can meet (or even exceed) consumers\u2019 expectations. It\u2019s worth noting that users are entitled to have endless opinions about your product. They\u2019ve bought it, giving them the right to share their experience of using the product with others; they can praise, criticize, and scrutinize the design any way they want. <\/p>

It\u2019s not uncommon for people to say there\u2019s something wrong with the product and that it doesn\u2019t work as intended for them. As a designer, you take the statement as constructive criticism. When users tell you there\u2019s something wrong, they\u2019re usually right. However, when they tell you how to fix the problem, more often than not, they\u2019re wrong. Either way, don\u2019t be so quick to dismiss any report of an issue. Instead, investigate the matter thoroughly and figure out the underlying issue. At the same time, never blindly follow users\u2019 suggestions because they\u2019re not professional consumer product designers<\/a>.<\/p>

Fit and finish are important<\/h3>

Attention to aesthetic details, including fit and finish, is just as crucial as functionality and usability. Consumers like to see well-made visual design, quality materials, and professional-looking branding elements. Proper fit and finish carry an implicit message that the people behind the product care about their consumers. Functionality does matter a lot. More than anything else, users want the product to be functional as intended and that it\u2019s worth the money. <\/p>

RELATED: Product Design Tips: How to Avoid Poorly Designed Products<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>

But the market today is flooded with a lot of things with similar functionality, attempting to outdo each other. Unless your product is entirely new, so that you can\u2019t position it under an existing category, an effective way to stand out in the crowd is to make it as aesthetically pleasing as possible. While it\u2019s not a guarantee of success, good visual impact should earn you a reasonable chance to attract potential buyers.<\/p>

Good expectations come from good products<\/h3>

A new product development is becoming like a race these days, where 3D design teams<\/a> rush to reach market release as soon as possible just to be the first to get to store shelves. The idea is to release quickly and then refine the products based on the immediate feedback. It might seem an easy workaround to win the race, but it is laudable as far as the design workflow is concerned. Refinements and improvements based on feedback are advisable, as it\u2019s a good method to discover and address issues raised by the users at large. That said, it doesn\u2019t mean you can release a product solely for the purpose of gaining feedback.<\/p>

\"consumer<\/figure>

No matter the product you release, make sure it\u2019s the manifestation of your best attempt to provide a solution. If you release a halfway-finished product, consumers can only expect that it won\u2019t deliver a satisfactory user experience. They have lower expectations for the product and lose trust in the brand. <\/p>

RELATED:  Ways 3D Product Rendering Services Can be Used for Marketing Products<\/a><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>

Takeaway<\/h2>

Product designers do not work in a vacuum. To have the chance at success, they need people with ideas and consumers to appreciate their creations. Within the context of industrial design, a product comes into existence with the purpose of conveying values to the buyers and bringing profits to the companies\/brands. They don\u2019t just design a product for the sake of designing; they\u2019re professionals who sell design services in the hope of delivering real benefits, not only to their employers but also to consumers who end up purchasing the product.<\/p>

How Cad Crowd can help<\/h2>

You need to supplement the Rams\u2019 good design principle with additional guidelines because you also have to think about various constraints, mainly the project timeline and budget. The extra guidelines aren\u2019t meant to undermine the significance of Rams\u2019 principles, but to keep the new product development within practical business perspectives. At Cad Crowd, you can find hundreds of industrial designers specializing in new product development as a whole, from early concept to ideation, all the way to market launch. Get a free quote<\/a> today.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dieter Rams\u2019 10 principles of good design, introduced in the late 1970s, are arguably the most influential product design guidelines still implemented today. The principles basically outline the specific traits that make a product \u201cgood\u201d from the perspective of both the product designers and the consumers. According to Rams, a good design must be innovative, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":47090,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","ep_exclude_from_search":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[130,44],"tags":[1005,136,811,803],"class_list":["post-47076","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-manufacturing","category-product-design","tag-product-cad-design","tag-product-design-and-development","tag-product-design-engineering","tag-product-design-experts"],"aioseo_notices":[],"spectra_custom_meta":{"_edit_lock":["1765424638:50"],"_edit_last":["50"],"_aioseo_title":[null],"_aioseo_description":[null],"_aioseo_keywords":["a:0:{}"],"_aioseo_og_title":[""],"_aioseo_og_description":[""],"_aioseo_og_article_section":[""],"_aioseo_og_article_tags":["a:0:{}"],"_aioseo_twitter_title":[""],"_aioseo_twitter_description":[""],"ampforwp_custom_content_editor":[""],"ampforwp_custom_content_editor_checkbox":[""],"ampforwp-amp-on-off":["default"],"yarpp_meta":["a:1:{s:27:\"yarpp_display_for_this_post\";i:0;}"],"_thumbnail_id":["47090"],"cc_activity_id":["108524"],"_uag_css_file_name":["uag-css-47076.css"],"_uag_page_assets":["a:9:{s:3:\"css\";s:0:\"\";s:2:\"js\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"current_block_list\";a:3:{i:0;s:14:\"core\/paragraph\";i:1;s:12:\"core\/heading\";i:2;s:10:\"core\/image\";}s:8:\"uag_flag\";b:0;s:11:\"uag_version\";s:10:\"1778076578\";s:6:\"gfonts\";a:0:{}s:10:\"gfonts_url\";s:0:\"\";s:12:\"gfonts_files\";a:0:{}s:14:\"uag_faq_layout\";b:0;}"]},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/cdn.cadcrowd.com\/blog\/uploads\/2025\/12\/product-design-freelancers.png",800,200,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/cdn.cadcrowd.com\/blog\/uploads\/2025\/12\/product-design-freelancers-150x150.png",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/cdn.cadcrowd.com\/blog\/uploads\/2025\/12\/product-design-freelancers-300x75.png",300,75,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/cdn.cadcrowd.com\/blog\/uploads\/2025\/12\/product-design-freelancers-768x192.png",640,160,true],"large":["https:\/\/cdn.cadcrowd.com\/blog\/uploads\/2025\/12\/product-design-freelancers.png",640,160,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/cdn.cadcrowd.com\/blog\/uploads\/2025\/12\/product-design-freelancers.png",800,200,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/cdn.cadcrowd.com\/blog\/uploads\/2025\/12\/product-design-freelancers.png",800,200,false],"post-thumbnail":["https:\/\/cdn.cadcrowd.com\/blog\/uploads\/2025\/12\/product-design-freelancers-379x196.png",379,196,true],"sticky-post-thumbnail":["https:\/\/cdn.cadcrowd.com\/blog\/uploads\/2025\/12\/product-design-freelancers-789x200.png",789,200,true],"archive-post-thumbnail":["https:\/\/cdn.cadcrowd.com\/blog\/uploads\/2025\/12\/product-design-freelancers-180x180.png",180,180,true],"yarpp-thumbnail":["https:\/\/cdn.cadcrowd.com\/blog\/uploads\/2025\/12\/product-design-freelancers-120x120.png",120,120,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"MacKenzie Brown","author_link":"https:\/\/www.cadcrowd.com\/blog\/author\/mackenzie-brown\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Dieter Rams\u2019 10 principles of good design, introduced in the late 1970s, are arguably the most influential product design guidelines still implemented today. The principles basically outline the specific traits that make a product \u201cgood\u201d from the perspective of both the product designers and the consumers. According to Rams, a good design must be innovative,…","aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t