20 Years of Alloy
20 Years of Alloy
Celebrating our 20 years of design effectiveness as a product design consultancy
Since our foundation in March 1999, tens of millions of people around the world have been experiencing our design work every day. It has won countless design awards and consistently delivered recognised commercial success to companies large and small.
As a forward-looking company, celebrating the past isn’t really part of our DNA. But 20 years of getting the future right is probably something worth revisiting to uncover a few insights that are still relevant today.
We created a video to highlight some of our best moments and to say thank you to all of our clients who have helped us along the way. Read our full article below to view 20 projects that have defined our work and have shaped who we are today:
Read the full article at Medium
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a product design consultancy and how is it different from a design studio?
A product design consultancy typically supports the full journey from strategy and user insight through industrial design, prototyping, and manufacturing support. Many clients hire a consultancy when they need more than styling — they need a partner to help get a product to market.
Why does experience matter when hiring a product design agency?
Experience reduces risk. A product design agency with a long track record is more likely to anticipate usability issues, engineering constraints, and manufacturing realities that can derail timelines or increase costs.
How do I choose the best product design consultancy in the UK?
Look for evidence of shipped products, clear case studies, strong multi-disciplinary capability (industrial design + UX/UI where needed), and experience supporting manufacture. Chemistry and communication matter too — it should feel like a true partnership.
Do design awards mean a product will be commercially successful?
Awards can be a useful signal of quality, but commercial success usually comes from solving real user problems, strong differentiation, and execution that works in the real world — including manufacturing and reliability.
Can a product design consultancy help with both hardware and digital UX?
Yes — the best consultancies can design the physical product and the digital experience together, especially for connected devices where onboarding, setup, and daily use span hardware and software.
What types of projects do established product design consultancies usually work on?
Many work across consumer electronics, connected devices, professional hardware, and premium consumer products — typically supporting concept-to-launch development with prototyping and manufacturing readiness.
When is the best time to hire a product design consultancy?
Early is usually best — before major engineering and tooling decisions are locked. Early discovery and concept work reduces rework and improves outcomes.
What should I prepare before speaking to a product design company?
A simple brief is enough: what problem you’re solving, who it’s for, the business goal, and any constraints (budget, timeline, manufacturing assumptions). A good consultancy will help you sharpen the rest.
