Assessment 2 - Response to Brief & Design Audit

Brief Reiteration:

Rohan Nicol is an industrial designer currently living in Wagga Wagga, NSW and currently spends his time teaching at Charles Sturt University where he continues his research that follows these interests. As an industrial designer he works within the fields of jewellery deign and metal-smithing. He feels that ‘the best designers are often drawn to Europe where the mix of manufacturing expertise and market demand enable innovative ideas to be realised,’ he also doesn’t discount the manufacturing revolution currently occurring in China. Regardless of location, Rohan feels that Industrial designers from anywhere should be open to the opportunities.


Rohan is currently researching models of successful practices and businesses, and within theses studies attempting to discern how the broader regional Riverina community in NSW might benefit from their application and the role they could possibly play in these cultural and creative economies. While he doesn’t discount the opportunities arising overseas, greatly enhanced by new communication technologies, he notes that there are many potential opportunities for industrial designers to induce some comprehensive and creative collaborations.


One of the hurdles faced by Rohan is that his work currently pertaining to a range of hand-made prototypes will eventually lend themselves to production elsewhere. Communication over distance is a significant factor, and due to the nature of the work itself production could lead as far away as Asia. His current designs which were featured in Volume at metalab, are all associated to the premise of a personal tote-bag. His rage featured protoype bags variously titled Tote-bag, Ladysbag, Manbag, Nightporter, Press-Bag and a spectacle-case, Shades Shield, which was conceived explicitly with ‘profuctability’ in mind. These concepts and been created using hard-gormed anodised aluminum or spun aluminum, and certain pieces have press molded, carved and formed polymer resin components. Some cases he has even been required to create the tooling in order to develop these pieces, but for others he has been able to outsource this task.


Rohan has, for a considerable period of time been using a digital modelling program that has significantly influenced and changed his practice. ‘It means that things which I used to make by hand by carving soft plastic and aluminium to try them out, I can now do in the computer and then have them formed by rapid prototyping.’

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Good market response starts with good design. Design can be used to increase and improve communication, create an atmosphere, create impact, increase profits or continue brand building.

First impressions matter therefore it is necessary that your great idea is supported by great graphic design, whether it is through the development of your corporate identity with the creation of a logo, corporate stationary and other marketing material. Your designer will provide assistance in developing a branding strategy that is distinct, reflects the product’s values and your customers’ image. It is important that throughout idea development process the value of your idea is recognised and represented.

My mission is to help Rohan Nicol capture and enhance their own unique branding concepts.