Is good design going down the plug-hole? Meet the Open University Design faculty as they debate what does, or doesn't, make a well-designed sink strainer. Theo Zamenopoulos, Georgy Holden, Robin Roy, and Jeff Johnson outline their design interests.

Is good design going down the plughole?

When the Apple designers first came to Steve Jobs with the iPod he picked it up, fiddled with it and then dropped it into a fish tank. "Those are air bubbles," he snapped. "That means there's space in there. Make it smaller."
A successful designer needs a critical awareness of the design all around us and the factors that produce it. They also need to be able to look at an item and analyse - what it is, what does it do, why is like that, how is it made?
In this new iTunes collection members of the OU design faculty choose interesting examples of everyday design and debate what does, or doesn't, work. They discuss the elements that contribute to a successful design and the factors that designers need to think about, right down to how much you can save by getting rid of the air in an iPhone.
Theo Zamenopoulos considers what makes a great chair.
Georgy Holden asks, is good design going down the plughole?
Jeff Johnson praises the mechanical pencil.
And Robin Roy wonders what is it that made the iPhone so successful, and what’s the price of air got to do with it?
This material forms part of The Open University course T217 Design Essentials.

Education

When the Apple designers first came to Steve Jobs with the iPod he picked it up, fiddled with it and then dropped it into a fish tank. "Those are air bubbles," he snapped. "That means there's space in there. Make it smaller." A successful designer needs a critical awareness of the design all around us and the factors that produce it. They also need to be able to look at an item and analyse - what it is, what does it do, why is like that, how is it made? In this new iTunes collection members of the OU design faculty choose interesting examples of everyday design and debate what does, or doesn't, work. They discuss the elements that contribute to a successful design and the factors that designers need to think about, right down to how much you can save by getting rid of the air in an iPhone. Theo Zamenopoulos considers what makes a great chair. Georgy Holden asks, is good design going down the plughole? Jeff Johnson praises the mechanical pencil. And Robin Roy wonders what is it that made the iPhone so successful, and what’s the price of air got to do with it? This material forms part of The Open University course T217 Design Essentials.

Share Is good design going down the plughole?

Sign up to save your podcasts

Is good design going down the plughole?

Is good design going down the plughole?

More shows like Design Essentials: small objects of desire - for iPod/iPhone

Bon départ: beginners' French - Audio

Philosophy: Justice and Morality - Audio

Rheumatoid arthritis - a long term condition - for iPod/iPhone

Croeso: beginners' Welsh - Audio

Getting started on Classical Latin - for iBooks

Cory Doctorow: Computer and Internet Regulation - Audio

Writing Poetry - Audio

Beginners’ Chinese - Audio

Andante: beginners' Italian - Audio

The Galapagos - for iPod/iPhone