When we design a project, we should not think aimlessly when considering the scheme. Sometimes we can consider the function and scene of this product, so as to generate association and make our shape more in line with the semantics of this product.

I often tell people that there are many plans to look at a product well (I don't know which one got a thousand knives to make the tradition of three proposals for appearance), but in addition to conforming to product functions, positioning, corporate culture, etc., combined with product semantics, the best plan will soon stand out from many plans and become the only one.

Therefore, when we have no idea about the shape of the product, we may as well take the product semantics as a breakthrough, and maybe it will be suddenly enlightened and bright!

Let's take a look at the design of an industrial equipment.

The above picture is an MPPT solar controller. When we design this product, can we consider the semantic aspect of the product?

We can easily associate the solar controller with the sun. When we sketch and conceive, we can actually conceive from the elements of the sun.
Because the product has higher heat dissipation requirements, and the customer requires the heat sink to be placed on the front of the product, we nodule this element with the radiant sun. For this reason, we specially designed the operation panel into a circle and the wiring cover into a horizon shape, creating a radiant image of sunrise in the east.

Some friends will ask why the black part below is designed as a triangle? In fact, this is related to two factors: first, the upper heat sink is in the shape of the emission, we can be well coordinated in the shape of the triangle.
In order to highlight the circle of the panel, we specially designed this material as high-gloss acrylic, and the other parts were compared with matt black, which not only enhanced the material feeling, but also highlighted the sun shape.

From the above case, we can easily see the power of integrating product semantics into modeling design. Once such a scheme is produced, we can easily persuade customers to adopt the scheme.

Please don't be overly superstitious about inspiration (this can be met but not sought). For full-time designers, we need to establish a set of scientific and perfect design thinking methods.