The following essay regards to my summer internship experience in a Toy Design firm, "Kidsfun", in Hong Kong as a helper from June 6 to July 26, 2002. I was involved to participate in preparing some of the projects for the biggest customers of Kidsfun, Chicco. Chicco is one of the leading brands of toys and baby products in the world. Part of my job in terms of participating is to produce design renderings and new product prototypes for presentations. .
There are a couple important elements I have learned throughout this experience. Marketing of any possible productions, relationship between designers and manufacturers, and responsibilities of an individual product.
Marketing.
Productions of Kidsfun are mainly divided in two categories: Self-design productions and ask-to-do productions. Self-design productions are products that are designed by Kidsfun and products are designed under the name of their company. The ask-to-do productions are products that are requested by another company. Sometimes they were given directions of how exactly productions are being produced and sometimes they have more freedom. .
Relationship.
Most of the companies in Hong Kong that need to associate with manufacturing have their productions produced in China deal to the fact labor cost in China is much cheaper than in Hong Kong. Therefore, Kidsfun, like other companies, also has its productions produced by the manufacturing company in China. Designers often travel back and fore between Hong Kong and China to meet with Engineers. Most of them do day trips.
Responsibilities.
Designers sometimes work together on the same production, however in toy design, productions are less complex compare to, for example, auto design. Therefore, designers in Kidsfun handle the whole process of each of the production themselves. They are responsible on their own disign from beginning to the end. Knowledge of materials and processing, marketing, and manufacturing are strongly required for each of them.