The Current Framework of Social and Technical Skills of Industrial Designers: A Literature-Based Analysis
Öz
The skill set of designers varies depending on multiple factors such as technological advancements, social and cultural transformations, changes in consumption patterns, and innovations in production processes. Designers who adapt to these changing conditions tend to acquire new skills over time while gradually losing others. This study aims to identify the skill classifications of industrial designers in the 21. century and to develop an up to date conceptual framework. Within the scope of the study, 200 sources published between 1990 and 2024 were reviewed, and 20 key publications that directly contributed to the research were selected and analyzed using the thematic analysis method. Since the Industrial Revolution, one of the most significant shifts in design related skills has occurred alongside the emergence of computer aided modeling technologies. Core competencies such as visual expression and intuitive problem solving have become integrated with new domains including digital modeling, analytical thinking, and systematic decision making. At the same time, conditions of rapid production and increasing competition demand a broader set of competencies from designers, while evolving user expectations transform the cognitive and physical dimensions of products. This transformation necessitates an enhanced capacity for deep and critical thinking on the part of designers. As a result of the research, a contemporary skill classification was developed along two main axes: social skills (creative thinking, empathy, teamwork, critical thinking, responsibility, openness, leadership, questioning, and imagination) and technical skills (analytical thinking, proficiency in technological tools, visual and verbal communication, implementation, two and three dimensional perception, planning, alternative generation, and decision making). This classification not only systematizes the fragmented skill definitions found in the literature but also reveals the correlations among these skills, thereby constructing a comprehensive relational map. This approach contributes both to the restructuring of industrial design education curricula and to the adaptation of professional design practice and designer identity to contemporary conditions.
Anahtar Kelimeler
designer skills industrial design skill transformation social and technical competencies
Kaynakça
- Ahmed, F., Capretz, L.F., Bouktif, S. & Campbell, P. (2012). Soft skills requirements in software development jobs: A cross cultural empirical study, Journal of Systems and Information Technology, 14(1), 58-81. https://doi.org/10.1108/13287261211221137
- Ahmed, S., Wallace, K. M., & Blessing, L. T. M. (2003). Understanding the differences between how novice and experienced designers approach design tasks. Research in Engineering Design, 14(1), 1–11.
- Aksu M. (2023). Sert, Yumuşak ve İstihdam Edilebilirlik Becerilerinin Önemi: Teorik Bir İnceleme, Süleyman Demirel Üniversitesi İktisadi ve İdari Bilimler Fakültesi Dergisi, 28(2),283-304.
- Ali, H., Djamaluddın, S. Ve Hadıbrata, B. (2017). Soft skill analysis on students of SMK N 13 West Jakarta, Scholars Bulletin, 3,362-368.
- Ardatürk, A. Ş. (2023). Güncel tasarım eğitiminde bilgisayar destekli tasarım programlarının yeri ve geleceğine (yeni) bir bakış. Journal of Turkish Studies, 18(1), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.7827/TurkishStudies.67582
- Balcar, J. (2016). Is it better to invest in hard or soft skills? The Economic and Labour Relations Review, 27(4), 453-470.
- Benvenuti, M., Cangelosi, A., Weinberger, A., Mazzoni, E., Benassi, M., Barbaresi, M., & Orsoni, M. (2023). Artificial intelligence and human behavioral development: A perspective on new skills and competences acquisition for the educational context. Computers in Human Behavior, 148, 107903.
- Bodur, D. E. (2022). Tasarımcı karakteri odaklı endüstriyel tasarım süreçlerinin incelenmesi. Doktora tezi, İstanbul Teknik Üniversitesi, YÖK Ulusal Tez Merkezi.
- Braun, V.; Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qual. Res. Psychol. 3, 77–101.
- Brosens, L., Raes, A., Octavia, J. R., & Emmanouil, M. (2023). How future proof is design education? A systematic review. International Journal of Technology and Design Education, 33, 663–683. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10798-022-09743-4
- Brown, P. (2009). CAD: Do computers aid the design process after all? Intersect: The Stanford Journal of Science, Technology and Society, 2(1), 53–66.
- Buchal, R.O. (2002). Sketching and Computer-Aided Conceptual Design. Computer Supported Cooperative Work in Design 2002, 112- 119.
- Cheng, Y., Dempsey, L., Gleason, N. W., Lee, R. M., Lewis, P., Malpas, C. Selena (2018). Higher Education in the Era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. In N. W. Gleason (Ed.,) Higher Education in the Era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-0194-0
- Cimatti, B. (2016). Definition, development, assessment of soft skills and their role for the quality of organizations and enterprises, International Journal for Quality Research, 10(1), 97-130.
- Contero, M., Naya, F., Company, P., Saorín, JL., Conesa, J. (2005). Improving visualization skills in engineering education. Computer Graphics and Applications, IEEE 25 (5), 24-31.
- Cross, N. (1982). Designerly ways of knowing. Design Studies, 3(4), 221–227. https://doi.org/10.1016/0142-694X(82)90040-0
- Cross, N., (1990). The nature and nurture of design ability, Design Studies, 11(3), 127–140. https://doi.org/10.1016/0142-694X(90)90002-T
- Damien, N. (2002). The Design Squiggle. Retrieved February 5, 2020, from https://thedesignsquiggle.com/. Dean, A. (2009). IDEO on digital design tools. Core77 – Design Magazine & Resource. Retrieved February 17, 2026, from http://www.core77.com/reactor/ideo_interview_dean.html
- Downey, G. L. (1998). The Machine in Me: An Anthropologist Sits Among Computer Engineers. N.p.: Routledge. ENTAK. (2024). Endüstriyel tasarım lisans programları değerlendirme ölçütleri (Sürüm 1.1). Endüstriyel Tasarım Akreditasyon Kurulu (ENTAK). https://entak.etmk.org.tr/entak-belgeler.php
- Erdinler Gözlüklüoğlu E. S. (2005), CAD Sistemleri ve Türkiye Mobilya Endüstrisinde Uygulanma Etkinliğinin Analizi. Doktora tezi, İstanbul Üniversitesi, İstanbul.
- Freise, L. R., Bretschneider, U. & Oeste-Reiss, S. (2024). Skills in Flux – Challenges in AI-based Skills Management and Skills Profiles. 19. Internationale Tagung der Wirtschaftsinformatik (Wi24), Würzburg, Germany.
- Groysberg, B. (2014). The seven skills you need to thrive in the C-suite, Harvard Business Review, https://hbr.org/2014/03/the-seven-skills-you-need-to-thrive-in-the-c-suite, 23.10 2022.
- Gulati, P., Marchetti, A., Puranam, P., & Sevcenko, V. (2025). Generative AI adoption and higher order skills (INSEAD Working Paper No. 2025/26/STR). INSEAD. https://www.insead.edu/faculty-research/research Hare, R. (2005). The Act of Sketching in Learning and Teaching the Design of Environments: a Total Skill for Complex Expression. http://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/ac/tracey/edu/hare.html>.
- Jin, J., Yang, M., Hu, H., Guo, X., Luo, J., & Liu, Y. (2024). Empowering design innovation using AI-generated content. Journal of Engineering Design, 36(1), 1–18.
- Kunrath, K., Cash, P. J., & Kleinsmann, M. (2020a). Designer’s identity: Personal attributes and design skills. Proceedings of the Design Society: Design Conference, 1, 103–112. https://doi.org/10.1017/dsd.2020.11
- Kunrath, K., Cash, P. J., & Kleinsmann, M. (2020b). Social- and self-perception of designers’ professional identity. Proceedings of the Design Society: Design Conference, 1, 93–102. https://doi.org/10.1017/dsd.2020.10
- Kunrath, K., Cash, P. J., & Li-Ying, J. (2017). Designer’s identity: Development of personal attributes and design skills over education. Proceedings of the 21st International Conference on Engineering Design (ICED 17), 7(DS87-7), 365–374.
- Laker, D.R. ve Powell, J.L. (2011). The Differences Between Hard and Soft Skills and Their Relative Impact on Training Transfer, Human Resource Development Quarterly, 22(1), 111–122.
- Odumu W.O. ve Enya E. B. (2025). Bridging AI Literacy Skill Sets Gap: A Critical Priority Now and the Future in Developing Countries. Newport Internatıonal Journal Of Sciıentific and Experımental Sciences, 6(1), 16-26. https://doi.org/10.59298/NIJSES/2025/61.1626
- Özçam, I. (2022). Designer identity: Reflection with verbal and visual representation systems. Online Journal of Art and Design, 10(1), 76–93.
- Pedgley, O. 2007. Capturing and Analysing Own Design Activity. Design Studies 28(5), 463–83. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6V2K-4NBY8RG- 1/2/9cfab1f6c2d9a77e26f569f318fb9912.
- Rao, M.S. (2013). Blend hard and soft skills to fast-track a management career, Human Resource Management International Digest, 21(7), 3-4.
- Robles, M.M. (2012). Executive perceptions of the top 10 soft skills needed in today’s workplace, Business Communication Quarterly, 75(4), 453-465.
- Samala, A. D., Rawas, S., Wang, T., Reed, J. M., Kim, J., Howard, N.-J., & Ertz, M. (2024). Unveiling the Landscape of Generative Artificial Intelligence in Education: A Comprehensive Taxonomy of Applications, Challenges, and Future Prospects. Education and Information Technologies. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-024-12936-0
- Shakır, R. (2009). Soft skills at the Malaysian institutes of higher learning teaching ethics in the business education classroom, Asia Pacific Education Review, 10(3), 309-315.
- Takeda, H., Veerkamp, P., Tomiyama, T., & Yoshikawa, H. (1990). Modeling design processes. AI Magazine, 11(4), 37–48. https://doi.org/10.1609/aimag.v11i4.855 Tunalı, İ. (2012). Endüstriyel tasarım felsefesi – tasarım modelleri ve endüstri tasarım. Yem Yayınları.
- Ullman, D.G., Wood, S., and Craig, D. (1990). The Importance of Drawing in the Mechanical Design Process. Computers & Graphics 14, 263-74.
- Ulusan, H., ve Turan, Ö. (2017). Tasarımda yetkinleşmeyi anlama: Tasarım yetilerinin dayandığı kavramsal temele yönelik bir çözümleme. Megaron / Yıldız Technical University Faculty of Architecture E-Journal, 12(2), 201–215. https://doi.org/10.5505/megaron.2017.71465
Endüstriyel Tasarımcıların Sosyal ve Teknik Becerilerinin Güncel Çerçevesi: Literatür Temelli Bir Analiz
Öz
Tasarımcının becerileri; teknolojik gelişmeler, sosyal ve kültürel dönüşümler, tüketim alışkanlıkları ve üretimdeki yenilikler gibi birçok farklı etkene bağlı olarak değişkenlik göstermektedir. Değişen koşullara uyum sağlayan tasarımcılar, zaman içinde bazı beceriler kazanırken bazılarını kaybedebilmektedir. Bu çalışma, endüstriyel tasarımcıların 21. yüzyıldaki beceri sınıflandırmalarını ortaya koymayı ve güncel bir çerçeve geliştirmeyi amaçlamaktadır. Çalışma kapsamında, literatürde 1990–2024 yılları arasında yayımlanmış 200 kaynak incelenmiş; bunlar arasından çalışmaya doğrudan katkı sağlayan 20 temel yayın tematik analiz yöntemiyle değerlendirilmiştir. Sanayi devriminden sonra tasarlama eylemindeki beceri değişimine dair en önemli kırınım bilgisayar destekli modelleme teknolojileriyle birlikte gelmiştir. Görsel ifade ve sezgisel problem çözme gibi temel beceriler; dijital modelleme, analitik düşünme ve sistematik karar verme gibi yeni alanlarla bütünleşmiştir. Aynı zamanda hızlı üretim ve rekabet koşulları tasarımcılardan daha geniş bir donanım seti talep ederken, değişen kullanıcı beklentileri ürünlerin bilişsel ve fiziksel boyutlarını dönüştürmekte; bu durum tasarımcıların derinlemesine düşünebilme kapasitelerini artırmayı zorunlu hale getirmektedir. Araştırma sonucunda, sosyal (yaratıcı düşünme, empati, takım çalışması, eleştirel düşünme, sorumluluk, açıklık, yönetme, sorgulama, hayal etme) ve teknik (analitik düşünme, teknolojik araçları kullanabilme, görsel ve sözel ifade, uygulama, iki ve üç boyutlu algılama, planlama, alternatif oluşturma, karar verme) beceriler ekseninde güncel bir beceri sınıflandırması oluşturulmuştur. Bu sınıflandırma, literatürde dağınık biçimde yer alan beceri tanımlarını sistematize ederken aynı zamanda beceriler arasındaki korelasyonu da ortaya koyarak kapsamlı bir ilişki haritasını oluşturmaktadır. Bu yaklaşım hem endüstriyel tasarım eğitimi müfredatlarının yeniden yapılandırılmasına hem de profesyonel uygulamalarda tasarımcı kimliğinin günümüz koşullarına uyarlanmasına katkı sağlamaktadır.
Anahtar Kelimeler
beceri dönüşümü endüstriyel tasarım sosyal ve teknik yetkinlik tasarımcıların becerileri
Kaynakça
- Ahmed, F., Capretz, L.F., Bouktif, S. & Campbell, P. (2012). Soft skills requirements in software development jobs: A cross cultural empirical study, Journal of Systems and Information Technology, 14(1), 58-81. https://doi.org/10.1108/13287261211221137
- Ahmed, S., Wallace, K. M., & Blessing, L. T. M. (2003). Understanding the differences between how novice and experienced designers approach design tasks. Research in Engineering Design, 14(1), 1–11.
- Aksu M. (2023). Sert, Yumuşak ve İstihdam Edilebilirlik Becerilerinin Önemi: Teorik Bir İnceleme, Süleyman Demirel Üniversitesi İktisadi ve İdari Bilimler Fakültesi Dergisi, 28(2),283-304.
- Ali, H., Djamaluddın, S. Ve Hadıbrata, B. (2017). Soft skill analysis on students of SMK N 13 West Jakarta, Scholars Bulletin, 3,362-368.
- Ardatürk, A. Ş. (2023). Güncel tasarım eğitiminde bilgisayar destekli tasarım programlarının yeri ve geleceğine (yeni) bir bakış. Journal of Turkish Studies, 18(1), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.7827/TurkishStudies.67582
- Balcar, J. (2016). Is it better to invest in hard or soft skills? The Economic and Labour Relations Review, 27(4), 453-470.
- Benvenuti, M., Cangelosi, A., Weinberger, A., Mazzoni, E., Benassi, M., Barbaresi, M., & Orsoni, M. (2023). Artificial intelligence and human behavioral development: A perspective on new skills and competences acquisition for the educational context. Computers in Human Behavior, 148, 107903.
- Bodur, D. E. (2022). Tasarımcı karakteri odaklı endüstriyel tasarım süreçlerinin incelenmesi. Doktora tezi, İstanbul Teknik Üniversitesi, YÖK Ulusal Tez Merkezi.
- Braun, V.; Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qual. Res. Psychol. 3, 77–101.
- Brosens, L., Raes, A., Octavia, J. R., & Emmanouil, M. (2023). How future proof is design education? A systematic review. International Journal of Technology and Design Education, 33, 663–683. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10798-022-09743-4
- Brown, P. (2009). CAD: Do computers aid the design process after all? Intersect: The Stanford Journal of Science, Technology and Society, 2(1), 53–66.
- Buchal, R.O. (2002). Sketching and Computer-Aided Conceptual Design. Computer Supported Cooperative Work in Design 2002, 112- 119.
- Cheng, Y., Dempsey, L., Gleason, N. W., Lee, R. M., Lewis, P., Malpas, C. Selena (2018). Higher Education in the Era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. In N. W. Gleason (Ed.,) Higher Education in the Era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-0194-0
- Cimatti, B. (2016). Definition, development, assessment of soft skills and their role for the quality of organizations and enterprises, International Journal for Quality Research, 10(1), 97-130.
- Contero, M., Naya, F., Company, P., Saorín, JL., Conesa, J. (2005). Improving visualization skills in engineering education. Computer Graphics and Applications, IEEE 25 (5), 24-31.
- Cross, N. (1982). Designerly ways of knowing. Design Studies, 3(4), 221–227. https://doi.org/10.1016/0142-694X(82)90040-0
- Cross, N., (1990). The nature and nurture of design ability, Design Studies, 11(3), 127–140. https://doi.org/10.1016/0142-694X(90)90002-T
- Damien, N. (2002). The Design Squiggle. Retrieved February 5, 2020, from https://thedesignsquiggle.com/. Dean, A. (2009). IDEO on digital design tools. Core77 – Design Magazine & Resource. Retrieved February 17, 2026, from http://www.core77.com/reactor/ideo_interview_dean.html
- Downey, G. L. (1998). The Machine in Me: An Anthropologist Sits Among Computer Engineers. N.p.: Routledge. ENTAK. (2024). Endüstriyel tasarım lisans programları değerlendirme ölçütleri (Sürüm 1.1). Endüstriyel Tasarım Akreditasyon Kurulu (ENTAK). https://entak.etmk.org.tr/entak-belgeler.php
- Erdinler Gözlüklüoğlu E. S. (2005), CAD Sistemleri ve Türkiye Mobilya Endüstrisinde Uygulanma Etkinliğinin Analizi. Doktora tezi, İstanbul Üniversitesi, İstanbul.
- Freise, L. R., Bretschneider, U. & Oeste-Reiss, S. (2024). Skills in Flux – Challenges in AI-based Skills Management and Skills Profiles. 19. Internationale Tagung der Wirtschaftsinformatik (Wi24), Würzburg, Germany.
- Groysberg, B. (2014). The seven skills you need to thrive in the C-suite, Harvard Business Review, https://hbr.org/2014/03/the-seven-skills-you-need-to-thrive-in-the-c-suite, 23.10 2022.
- Gulati, P., Marchetti, A., Puranam, P., & Sevcenko, V. (2025). Generative AI adoption and higher order skills (INSEAD Working Paper No. 2025/26/STR). INSEAD. https://www.insead.edu/faculty-research/research Hare, R. (2005). The Act of Sketching in Learning and Teaching the Design of Environments: a Total Skill for Complex Expression. http://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/ac/tracey/edu/hare.html>.
- Jin, J., Yang, M., Hu, H., Guo, X., Luo, J., & Liu, Y. (2024). Empowering design innovation using AI-generated content. Journal of Engineering Design, 36(1), 1–18.
- Kunrath, K., Cash, P. J., & Kleinsmann, M. (2020a). Designer’s identity: Personal attributes and design skills. Proceedings of the Design Society: Design Conference, 1, 103–112. https://doi.org/10.1017/dsd.2020.11
- Kunrath, K., Cash, P. J., & Kleinsmann, M. (2020b). Social- and self-perception of designers’ professional identity. Proceedings of the Design Society: Design Conference, 1, 93–102. https://doi.org/10.1017/dsd.2020.10
- Kunrath, K., Cash, P. J., & Li-Ying, J. (2017). Designer’s identity: Development of personal attributes and design skills over education. Proceedings of the 21st International Conference on Engineering Design (ICED 17), 7(DS87-7), 365–374.
- Laker, D.R. ve Powell, J.L. (2011). The Differences Between Hard and Soft Skills and Their Relative Impact on Training Transfer, Human Resource Development Quarterly, 22(1), 111–122.
- Odumu W.O. ve Enya E. B. (2025). Bridging AI Literacy Skill Sets Gap: A Critical Priority Now and the Future in Developing Countries. Newport Internatıonal Journal Of Sciıentific and Experımental Sciences, 6(1), 16-26. https://doi.org/10.59298/NIJSES/2025/61.1626
- Özçam, I. (2022). Designer identity: Reflection with verbal and visual representation systems. Online Journal of Art and Design, 10(1), 76–93.
- Pedgley, O. 2007. Capturing and Analysing Own Design Activity. Design Studies 28(5), 463–83. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6V2K-4NBY8RG- 1/2/9cfab1f6c2d9a77e26f569f318fb9912.
- Rao, M.S. (2013). Blend hard and soft skills to fast-track a management career, Human Resource Management International Digest, 21(7), 3-4.
- Robles, M.M. (2012). Executive perceptions of the top 10 soft skills needed in today’s workplace, Business Communication Quarterly, 75(4), 453-465.
- Samala, A. D., Rawas, S., Wang, T., Reed, J. M., Kim, J., Howard, N.-J., & Ertz, M. (2024). Unveiling the Landscape of Generative Artificial Intelligence in Education: A Comprehensive Taxonomy of Applications, Challenges, and Future Prospects. Education and Information Technologies. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-024-12936-0
- Shakır, R. (2009). Soft skills at the Malaysian institutes of higher learning teaching ethics in the business education classroom, Asia Pacific Education Review, 10(3), 309-315.
- Takeda, H., Veerkamp, P., Tomiyama, T., & Yoshikawa, H. (1990). Modeling design processes. AI Magazine, 11(4), 37–48. https://doi.org/10.1609/aimag.v11i4.855 Tunalı, İ. (2012). Endüstriyel tasarım felsefesi – tasarım modelleri ve endüstri tasarım. Yem Yayınları.
- Ullman, D.G., Wood, S., and Craig, D. (1990). The Importance of Drawing in the Mechanical Design Process. Computers & Graphics 14, 263-74.
- Ulusan, H., ve Turan, Ö. (2017). Tasarımda yetkinleşmeyi anlama: Tasarım yetilerinin dayandığı kavramsal temele yönelik bir çözümleme. Megaron / Yıldız Technical University Faculty of Architecture E-Journal, 12(2), 201–215. https://doi.org/10.5505/megaron.2017.71465
Ayrıntılar
| Birincil Dil | Türkçe |
|---|---|
| Konular | Endüstriyel Ürün Tasarımı, Tasarım Tarihi, Teorisi ve Eleştiri |
| Bölüm | Teorik Makale |
| Yazarlar | |
| Gönderilme Tarihi | 19 Ocak 2026 |
| Kabul Tarihi | 13 Şubat 2026 |
| Yayımlanma Tarihi | 27 Şubat 2026 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.51664/artium.1867388 |
| IZ | https://izlik.org/JA88CP34LB |
| Yayımlandığı Sayı | Yıl 2026 Cilt: 13 Sayı: 1 |
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