I'm in the exact same situation, and started in January... took a continuing ed class at Pratt in Brooklyn as a start... learned so much, and hope to intern or take some more classes as part of my education, but don't plan on getting a new degree...

these are the products I did in my first class, being a graphic designer will make it much easier for you!

best of luck

http://njkipe.squarespace.com/product-design/

I'm not a product designer, but every career requires the same basic skeletal system. You can start by choosing the kind of products you want to design. Because there are so many materials out there, you may find that one area is much easier to handle than others. For instance, dishware and lighting are probably going to be much easier than starting off with designing furniture, where there is much more complexity in terms of materials, structural integrity, etc.

Then you should learn about the things you want to design. Let's say you want to design dishware. What makes some shapes better than others? Are bowls better when they're deeper or more shallow? What kinds of materials are best for certain foods? When you educate yourself on how to do these things, you'll meet people along the way who can steer you toward careers or opportunities. And you might meet people who aren't designers, but are a big part of supplying the materials to the design industry.

In case my link isn't coming through, my portfolio:

http://njkipe.squarespace.com/product-design/
Also, if you want a great intro to design, Pratt has a book that follows their entire curriculum for the industrial design program, so it's like a free intro! "Elements of Design, by gail greet hannah"

Laura,

I am an Industrial Designer (product designer) and my advice to you is to go to school to learn the trade. There is a lot of theory behind product design as well as necessary skill-set. If all you want to design is flatware, then perhaps you can find someone who can make you samples to start with but you should learn to sketch, model in 3d and finally render. Remember that you will be competing with people who already have these skills. Have a look at this website which is a community of Industrial Designers. In doing so you can gauge what kinds of skills you will need to develop your best work. BEST OF LUCK! http://www.coroflot.com/

PS. I made the transition from Interior Designer. I also find that designers with a background in another form of design make great product designers.

I've seen this trend growing lately. I too would suggest taking a course or two if your goal is to work for a product design company. IF you decide to design, develop and self promote items that you produce, there are tons of ways to do so. Graphic design and product design, as I'm sure you are aware, are two entirely different animals. The image attached to this entry is a bit off putting. Tableware such as these beautiful plates and bowls can be designed and made by a ceramicist which is a fine arts focus. While product designers do design plates and bowls, a fine artist could also play a role. Although I have a degree in product design and have worked as a product designer, I've chosen to focus my attention elsewhere. I have a passion for graphic design and have found it relatively easy to merge into the industry from what I learned obtaining my degree in product design. I believe that landing a product design job, even with a degree in the field, is difficult unless you have a great understanding of the industry and can show this in a portfolio. Most product design firms will require you have strong knowledge of the some or most of the following; 3D modeling and rendering programs (CAD, Rhino, Solidworks, etc.) rapid hand rendering and conceptualization, molding and production techniques (blow, roto, injection, etc.) basic understanding of ergonomics and human interaction, and of course, experience. Which ever path you choose, I wish you the best of luck.

Most of these jobs require a BA or design degree from a accredited design program or school. If you all ready have a degree then you may be able to take a condensed program. There are certain technical skills required such as being able to work in Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop, CAD drawing capability, and the ones already mentioned.

Another great book to read is The Art of Innovation, by Tom Kelly the founder of IDEO.
Then look into internships but start networking with companies that have in house designers or smaller firms where you live. Get contacts and pick their brains. Linkdin is helpful.

Take a look at IDEO's website there is a lot of good information there.
http://www.ideo.com/contact#careers

You can type in Table Top Design on Simply Hired to see some of the skills and types of experience these jobs are looking for-
http://www.simplyhired.com/a/jobs/list/q-product+designer-+tabletop

Best of luck.

One good path you might try is to work for a company that has both graphic design and product design (large retailers). Get hired first in graphic design department, then make friends with the product design team. Learn from them and maybe try designing some pieces on your own time based on what they are designing (ask them to show you their mood boards and dept. plans). For example, you can see they are working on lamps for Fall 2014 that incorporate brass and reflect a 70s aesthetic, then you can take a turn at designing a lamp that fits that direction. Be respectful of their time and knowledge, and they will likely help you learn.

Other commenters have good advice on school, it's up to you if you want to get a degree or follow an online program.

I'm a graphic designer working in product design, so I have a lot of advice! This is going to get long, sorry!

By working side-by-side with product designers, I've learned a lot about the field. So, following that thought, one route would be to try to land a graphic job at a firm or in-house department that also (or primarily) handles product. In the right job, you might be able to make a transition into a different position. At the very least, you could work on projects that increase your product know-how and add to your portfolio.

Software: I've been able to learn a little bit of CAD (Rhino) and rendering (Keyshot), but to really learn the programs, you would probably need to take classes. If you're not already comfortable sketching on tablets or Cintiqs, it's become a pretty important skill. Flashy sketches can really grab someone's eye.

I'm not sure that a specific ID degree is necessary if you have another design degree. I think my office would hire an entry level designer if they showed experience with the right programs, good process, design problem-solving skills, a good eye/taste level, and an ability to learn. Flashy sketches may get you attention, but showing a good, logical process will make you really stand out.

On the plus side, I've seen that many ID students come out of school with NO eye for graphic design. Their portfolios, resumes, and websites are just eyesores. Cringe-worthy logos for their product concepts are a staple. There's a lack of good communication skills, too. So in basic presentation skills, you've already got a leg up on many of them!

I'd also recommend getting involved in the IDSA. Since there aren't a lot of product designers out there (compared to other design fields), it's a tight-knit group and networking goes a LONG way.

AKAY made some really good points.

Presentation of the thought process is a must. Networking, in any field is also a must. If you're clear, concise and logical, chances are people will take note.

Learn some expensive software, work on your hand skills and develop a style that shows you know what you're doing.

There are many ways to connect with professionals. Take chances, put yourself out there and never stop learning.

Thanks Garimi!

I had another thought: through an organization like IDSA, you can get set up with a mentor. I know designers who take on mentees (or mentos, as Joey Tribiani says), and they would love to advise with a designer who has goals as clear as yours. Most of us don't have the clarity to pick such a specific field as you have -- that's a definite asset.

Thank you all so much for your feedback. I appreciate your generosity in taking the time to respond to this query. A few questions:

1. If I were to learn 2 programs heavily used in ID, what are the top 2? I already am a pro in Adobe CS, but don't know any CAD or rendering programs.

2. What NYC firms do both product and graphic design? I can only think of retailers such as Anthropologie (PA), and I don't think they do graphic design though they probably have a small inhouse dept to service their retail needs. I love IDEO but they are in Boston and I'm in NYC.

thanks SO SO much,
Laura

@BIGAPPLEGIRL,

1. I think that's something that varies by workplace because there's a wide variety of programs out there with varying degrees of complexity. For CAD in my office, the IDers use Rhino and the ID/engineers use Pro/E. We do rendering with Keyshot. If you don't already sketch in Photoshop, that's a good place to start: learn about brush presets and tricks you can use to create patterns and convey materials.

2. I would suspect that any decently sized ID firm would keep at least one graphic designer on staff, but there are plenty of firms besides IDEO that perform a variety of design services and likely have multiple graphic designers. Smart Design comes to mind -- they do both ID and branding for OXO. Frog Design is another large firm that does a lot of work in interaction. If you can get hooked up with a mentor, identifying firms that you want to target is something they can really help you with.

I would:

1. Teach myself sketching skills. ID sketching is about rapidly creating a variety of ideas, and that's why digital sketching is so important: you can learn tricks that make drawing faster than it would be on paper. Let's say you're drawing a product with a repeating pattern like a grill or a texture: you shouldn't have to actually draw each line in the grill if you know how to create brushes, install patterns, etc. You can find Photoshop tutorials online for that type of thing. And like akay said, when someone looks at those sketches, they should be able to tell what material you've drawn: Is it shiny plastic? Satin metal? Soft grip? Color/material/finish (CMF) is an important part of a product's look.

2. Try to arrange informational interviews. You might be able to make on-site appointments, but chances are better of setting up a phone appointment. Thoroughly research any firm before you talk to them and have a list of pertinent questions.

3. Network. Go to IDSA and AIGA events. They do typically have registration fees, so if you go to them regularly, it would be worth paying for membership to get reduced rates. Otherwise, get in touch with someone about volunteering to work the events (setting up chairs, signing people in, taking photos, working drink stations) -- you might be able to attend for free and you'll have good reason to start up conversations with people. Definitely ask both organizations about mentorship.

4. Once you've done those things, you'll have a better idea of what your next step should be. Maybe you should apply for graphic jobs, maybe you should find a certificate program in CAD software, maybe you should go back to school full time.

Best of luck

@AKAY

Great advice from both posts. May I ask, how did you end up a graphic designer working in product design? Was that an intentional move?