Euromeccanica, part of the Smaltochimica Group, has developed a project, called Iride in Design, for the management of colour in ceramic and the rapid prototyping of new ceramic tile designs. This technology minimises the experimentation and tests required to achieve the final prototype, with subsequent savings on project planning and production start-up time. IRIDE is a colorimetric system (spectrophotometer-software) which can be used to reformulate, using only 15 to 20 basic ceramic pigments, any colour used for the preparation of ceramic inks. The required amounts can be produced quickly and easily by combining IRIDE with an automatic dosing system for ink preparation (Tintometer). Benefits include time and cost savings, reduced waste, and reduced consumption of pigments. Current standard procedures for creating a new graphic design are outlined, and the advantages of the Iride in Design prototyping project are noted.