Explore the top 8 reference platforms for industrial designers, enhancing inspiration and workflow efficiency with tools like Behance and leManoosh.
Every industrial designer is constantly seeking fresh inspiration to create exceptional designs. In the industry, it’s not just about beautiful visuals—it’s about building a workflow that generates new ideas and efficiently incorporates client feedback. However, finding the right information among countless design portfolio sites and trend platforms is no easy task. Many designers struggle to identify where to discover the latest 3D design trends or source practical ideas for their work.
This article introduces eight essential design reference platforms to take your workflow to the next level. These platforms go beyond mere design appreciation, helping you gain tangible inspiration, insights, and efficient ways to manage your projects.
A Treasure Trove for Inspiration and Trends
Behance
Operated by Adobe, Behance is a leading platform where visual artists and designers share their work. You can draw inspiration from the latest projects by creators worldwide. Using specific keywords or tags, such as “3D product design,” allows you to efficiently search for designs that match your desired style. It’s particularly useful for organizing final design outputs into polished portfolios for client presentations, with advanced analytics and personal website creation features to streamline the process.
Search Projects :: Photos, videos, logos, illustrations and branding
Yanko Design
Yanko Design is an online magazine specializing in product and industrial design. It focuses on unique and innovative concept designs, making it a valuable resource for staying updated on forward-thinking design trends integrated with cutting-edge technology. The platform also offers a newsletter with weekly trend reports. If you’re looking to consistently track the latest trends, it’s worth exploring.
Yanko Design - Modern Industrial Design News
leManoosh
leManoosh provides inspiration by focusing on design elements like form, material, and color. It offers detailed insights into how designers utilize materials and finishes or visually translate functional aspects of products. This platform is especially helpful during the initial research phase for gathering specific ideas about materials and finishes. It also provides online courses and mentorship opportunities for professional development and networking.
Industrial Design Trends, Online Courses and Jobs - leManoosh
Spaces for Showcasing Portfolios and Expanding Networks
Dribbble
Dribbble is a community where designers share small-scale work in the form of “shots.” It’s particularly useful for those seeking an alternative to Behance, offering a quick way to browse UI/UX and graphic design projects alongside industrial design. Designers typically use it to share parts of completed projects or works in progress to exchange feedback.
Dribbble - Discover the World’s Top Designers & Creative Professionals
Coroflot
Coroflot is tailored to connecting industrial and product designers with companies. It allows designers to showcase a variety of portfolios and network with industry professionals to manage their careers. The platform’s robust job listings section makes it valuable for designers seeking new projects or career transitions.
DesignBurger
DesignBurger is a blog-style platform where designers share their processes and final outputs. Beyond just displaying finished work, it provides insights into the full workflow—from idea sketches to 3D modeling and rendering—making it a great tool for broadening practical perspectives. It’s particularly effective for learning about prototyping and sketching processes when referenced during project development.
Communities for Deep Insights and Workflow Sharing
Core77
Core77 is an online magazine and community that explores industrial design trends and issues through in-depth articles and interviews. It covers a wide range of topics, including design education, technological advancements, and sustainable design, helping designers understand the broader industry landscape. Leveraging its competition listings can aid in planning team projects or refining new ideas.
Core77 / Industrial Design Magazine + Resource
Pinterest, an image-based social media platform, is highly effective for collecting and organizing vast amounts of design references. Its “board” feature allows you to curate images based on your projects or interests, while automated recommendations help spark new inspiration. Refining keywords is recommended for efficient exploration.
Choose the Platform That Fits Your Workflow
Each of the eight platforms discussed offers unique strengths. For inspiration in the industrial design field, consider exploring Yanko Design or leManoosh, while Behance or Coroflot are ideal for managing portfolios and expanding professional networks.
Dive into these design reference platforms to find the ones that best suit your needs. Combining multiple platforms can make your design workflow richer and more efficient.