Industrial Design Technology

WorldSkills Occupational Standards (WSOS)

Occupation description and WSOS

The name of the skill competition is

Description of the associated work role(s) or occupation(s)

Industrial design technology is the creation of a product designed for mass consumption. It must succeed in both form (appearance) and function and promote efficient manufacture. It must be technically feasible to produce, and meet a genuine need in the marketplace, at an acceptable price.

To fulfil the role of an industrial design technician, knowledge, skills, and qualities are required in each of the following broad areas:

Market research, graphic and communication skills
Design and development processes
Engineering practice, and materials science/engineering

In start-ups and small companies, industrial design technicians may themselves cover all steps in this process. In larger organizations, they may support and contribute to either each phase of the process, or one or two phases only. For industrial design in larger organizations, teamwork is advantageous, to capitalize on a range of perspectives, attitudes, knowledge and skills.

Industrial design technology combines two disciplines: design, and engineering, in order to innovate with success as measured by the customer’s response and the producer’s viability and profit. It is essentially disruptive to current ways of doing and making things. This means that the industrial designer must stay constantly alert to new materials, technologies, markets, and consumer demand and benefit.

In summary: the sequence of steps, starting with market research, ideas development, and design, before physically making and testing, often many times, distinguishes industrial design from craft-based design. This is a very important difference to the process of the craft-based designer, whose creativity is embedded in the act of making. Good industrial design technicians respect the importance of inspiration and ideation as a separate set of activities, before testing, improvement, and manufacture.

The WorldSkills Occupational Standards (WSOS)

General notes on the WSOS

The WSOS specifies the knowledge, understanding, skills, and capabilities that underpin international best practice in technical and vocational performance. These are both specific to an occupational role and also transversal. Together they should reflect a shared global understanding of what the associated work role(s) or occupation(s) represent for industry and business (www.worldskills.org/WSOS).

The skill competition is intended to reflect international best practice as described by the WSOS, to the extent that it can. The Standard is therefore a guide to the required training and preparation for the skill competition.

In the skill competition the assessment of knowledge and understanding will take place through the assessment of performance. There will only be separate tests of knowledge and understanding where there is an overwhelming reason for these.

The Standard is divided into distinct sections with headings and reference numbers added.

Each section is assigned a percentage of the total marks to indicate its relative importance within the Standards. This is often referred to as the “weighting”. The sum of all the percentage marks is 100. The weightings determine the distribution of marks within the Marking Scheme.

Through the Test Project, the Marking Scheme will assess only those skills and capabilities that are set out in the WorldSkills Occupational Standards. They will reflect the Standards as comprehensively as possible within the constraints of the skill competition.

The Marking Scheme will follow the allocation of marks within the Standards to the extent practically possible. A variation of up to five percent is allowed, if this does not distort the weightings assigned by the Standards.

WorldSkills Occupational Standards

Section		Relative importance (%)
1	Work organization and management	5
	The individual needs to know and understand: The role and responsibilities of the industrial design technician, and how it differs from craft-based design, creativity, and production The importance of effective communications between co-workers, clients and other related professionals Principles and practices for safe working practice across different work settings Principles of sustainable workflow planning and resource optimization Principles and methods for Organizing own time efficiently and effectively Setting and reaching goals for self and own areas of responsibility Scheduling and organizing work assignments Establishing priorities and rescheduling Good practice in generating and maintaining records Ethical principles for safeguarding and maintaining clients’ and organizations’ security and proper business advantage The norms and expectations for best practice in one’s role.
	The individual shall be able to: Use effective communications skills to ensure that the design process meets requirements Apply safe working methods personally and for others Select and keep to efficient and effective work methods and habits Develop work plans that incorporate sustainability goals Select and use appropriate planning and management tools Maintain orderly and secure work areas Maintain work records as required and helpful Minimize distractions that impact on own effectiveness and efficiency Respond positively to formal and informal opportunities to learn and update knowledge and expertise.
2	Design planning	10
	The individual needs to know and understand: Their organization’s Brand Position in the market Range and nature of products and services The sources of design commissions and requirements Principles and methods for researching Market opportunities User positioning User painpoints Principles, methods and ethics for obtaining information by Observation Analysis Principles and techniques for drawing conclusions from data and inputs: Inductive reasoning (combining information in order to generalize) Deductive reasoning (applying general rules to situations) Analysis of sustainable market trends and green consumer demands.
	The individual shall be able to Receive and mentally process information and requests Participate in new market research and product planning Evaluate environmental benefit required for new products Review the relationship of potential new products to the organization’s product range and plans Investigate the potential need and benefit of new products and product lines using suitable research methods Integrate green market data to inform design concepts Draw conclusions from the market research Make design strategies for the development.
3	Design ideation	10
	The individual needs to know and understand: Design as a process for creating and developing concepts and specifications, through strategic problem-solving Sustainable design methodologies (e.g. eco-design, circular economy principles) Constraints and opportunities as they relate to the client and organization Principles for visual and physical realization The available techniques, methods, tools, and aids to support design and development The impacts of innovation on design and the design process for mass consumption.
	The individual shall be able to: Conceive or receive a design idea Through market research and consultation, create, realize, and evaluate design concepts for manufacturing Evaluate the feasibility of design ideas, relative to Appearance Safety Function Serviceability Budget Production methods and costs Modify and refine design ideas, based on the above factors Optimize design concepts using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Evaluate the environmental feasibility of design proposals (e.g. material recyclability, energy consumption) Select the optimal concept for further development.
4	Sketching and 3D modelling	25
	The individual needs to know and understand: The essential characteristics of visualization for industrial design, including colour, visual materials’ properties, composition, and typography Principles, purposes, and techniques for sketching The range of equipment and tools used to support sketching Principles and methods for generating desired impressions and impact on viewers Visual representation of sustainable designs (e.g. eco-material labeling, ecological benefit diagrams) The range and sequence of information required for design documentation for mass consumption The methods of manufacturing cost reduction The available choices of IT hardware and software for 3D modelling The techniques for 3D modelling.
	The individual shall be able to: Explore ways of articulating design ideas visually Prepare sketches, iteratively, exploring options and results Implement decisions regarding colour, visual materials’ properties, and composition Create sketches for detailed design Visually present sustainable design solutions Use CAD software to build the 3D model of design concept Align 3D model with conceptual solutions Reflect eco-friendly design elements in technical drawings Maintain document control throughout the design process.
5	Technical development	25
	The individual needs to know and understand: The practical application of engineering science and technology The technical standards governing the design idea and purpose Ergonomics for the purpose of fitting users’ needs and characteristics The principles, techniques, procedures and equipment relevant to production Production processes, quality control, and costs Circuit boards, chips, electronic equipment, hardware and software Properties and applications of sustainable materials (bio-based materials, recycled materials) Material Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and circular utilization technologies Methods for identifying, testing, and selecting materials The simulation of stress and movement The impacts of manufacturing and assembly on the function and appearance of given items.
	The individual shall be able to: Provide cost estimates and itemized production requirements Build models, patterns, or templates Analyse and evaluate information to determine compliance with standards Estimate or quantify sizes, numbers, or amounts, of items relevant to production Determine time, costs, resources, or materials needed for production Collaborate with engineers to select environmentally friendly materials Analyze the impact of material selection on production and the environment Make the animations for simulation and function demonstration Raise and discuss the needs for and benefits of modification Review, adapt, and provide documentation, detailed instructions/specifications, or drawings, for fabrication, construction, assembly, modification, maintenance and use.
6	Prototyping and testing	15
	The individual needs to know and understand: Machines and tools, including their design, uses, repair, and maintenance Types and characteristics of materials used in prototyping Importance of accuracy in detail and dimension Methods of polishing prototype Methods of painting prototype Properties of paints and pigments Green manufacturing processes (e.g. low-carbon production, energy-saving technologies).
	The individual shall be able to: Operate specified machines and tools for prototyping Prototype with eco-friendly materials (e.g. 3D printing with recycled materials) Fabricate models or samples in a range of materials, using hand and power tools Minimize material waste during prototyping Finish prototype surfaces Assemble parts Identify and apply relevant procedures and regulations to the prototyping and testing process Put in place measures to ensure the validity of information and data collected Collect planned information and data for analysis Review the implications of the analysis for design outcomes Provide cost estimates for sustainable production solutions.
7	Presentation and promotion	10
	The individual needs to know and understand: Principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services Marketing strategy and tactics Product demonstration Sustainable marketing (e.g. environmental certifications, carbon footprint labeling) Product life cycle service models (e.g. leasing programmes, recycling programmes).
	The individual shall be able to: Develop industrial standards and regulatory guidelines Develop sustainable promotional plans for products Develop artistic or design concepts for decoration, exhibition, or commercial purposes Design eco-friendly packaging and marketing materials Present evaluation reports, including Operation and safety Market appeal Production efficiency Application Communicate product environmental benefits to clients.
	Total	100

References for industry consultation

General notes

WorldSkills is committed to ensuring that the WorldSkills Occupational Standards fully reflect the dynamism of internationally recognized best practice in industry and business. To do this WorldSkills approaches a number of organizations across the world that can offer feedback on the draft Description of the Associated Role and WorldSkills Occupational Standards on a two-yearly cycle.

In parallel to this, WSI consults three international occupational classifications and databases:

ISCO-08: (http://www.ilo.org/public/english/bureau/stat/isco/isco08/)
ESCO: (https://ec.europa.eu/esco/portal/home )
O*NET OnLine (www.onetonline.org/)

References

This WSOS is a junior version of the role of industrial designer: http://data.europa.eu/esco/occupation/ab7bccb2-6f81-4a3d-a0c0-fca5d47d2775

and industrial and commercial designers:
https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/27-1021.00

These links can be used to explore adjacent occupations.

ILO 2163.

Unfortunately no feedback was received from business and industry for WorldSkills Shanghai 2026.