Product design is a growing niche in the Middle East, this growth has been fueled by important events like Design Week in Dubai. Prior to this, the design industry in the Middle East traditionally lacked design-driven innovation. For instance, designers used outdated systems in production, with ideas and focal points set up around two-dimensional sketches. Similarly, designers used Eurocentric methods that did not reflect the region in both design and material. At the same time, the lack of intellectual property protection (IPP) further inhibited design innovation.
However, start-ups and small-to-medium projekt pokoju dla dziewczynki enterprises (SME) have brought disruption to product design in the region. Smaller and more agile innovators are using cutting-edge technology such as 3D printing for design, and rapid prototyping to advance product design from mere visualizations to tangible prototypes. These prototypes can then be put on websites like Kick-Starter to track, forecast, and predict sales. The meteoric rise of start-ups and SMEs also shed more light on their founding members, their methods, and their promising designs. Sites like Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok make it easier for trending designs to go viral within a short space of time.
Similarly, with the rise of enforceable intellectual property laws in the Middle East creators feel increasingly confident to create. This is because intellectual property rights enable creators to derive financial benefit from their innovations and work. Without financial incentives, many product designers would not bother to go through endless design iterations. These iterations enable designers to perfect their ideas but the process can be time-consuming and costly.
As in other industries that use technology, there is a need for legal protection for design-related inventions and processes. Such innovations are products of human intellect just as much as other inventions. They require substantial research, inventive effort, and investment in sophisticated science. The benefits of IP not only lie in the interests of inventors and their employers, but also in the public interest. As a result, this promotes technological advancements in the design industry.
Product Design vs. Industrial Design
Product design and Industrial design are closely related terms that have been the subject of much debate. However, the following definition seeks to better clarify the terms.