what i've been thinking about lately - design, innovation, patent litigation & more

After an accidental omission on the design model and a stroke of brilliance, the reborn Mini got inspiration from an unexpected source.

Another huge loss in the world of design... Iris was a fascinating woman, with more style in her pinky than most of us muster head to toe. Just pure class.

Want a top auto safety rating in the EU? Better put some buttons on that dashboard...

A bakery manager in Michigan, he worked with Kellogg’s to create the snack which became a timeless American classic.

Form is temporary, function is permanent. The most important inventions are the ones that relate to the human condition, and they crop up over and over again.

Can a true master of brand building save Vans? Interesting insights and a fresh approach to learn from

Have suspected for a while that Boeing's engineering and design teams were getting an unfairly bad rap... Great article discusses why (as so often the case) it's probably Wall Street's fault. I have friends in private equity, but I try to ignore what they do...

Just a photo and a design observation today... IMO the C Pillar trim on the Kia Carnival is truly revolutionary in the world of auto design.

Great slideshow about two of my favorite things, old cars and branding... Highly recommended Friday read!

My annual holiday reminder that there is only one right way to install a toilet paper roll, as protected by a US patent issued just before Christmas 1891

Neuroscience proves what we already knew about Zoom meetings, and explains why they suck so much...

What do the brands we wear say about us? Interesting thoughts here...

Is the era of design thinking truly over, or did IDEO just jump the shark it created?

Excellent overview of legal issues related to the use of fonts in graphic and industrial design... Many designers are too casual about this (I was once guilty myself, unintentionally)

Great follow up to last week's post about interior design trade dress... Here's an interesting case which just addressed trade dress functionality for candy shaped like the fruit flavor it represents

I've always believed there are significant costs to wearing noise-canceling devices, some more obvious than others... Great to see an article that lays it all out

Great article about protecting interior design through trade dress

Fantastic article about user interface problems posed by touch screens... Great to see such excellent coverage in the mainstream press

Polaroid's success in the digital era is a testament to its brand's proposition: The value of a Polaroid camera is authenticity. Life isn’t perfect, neither is a Polaroid picture. I'm a huge fan of modern instant cameras, highly recommend Fuji's Evo Mini for anyone thinking of dipping a toe.

Best user interface news of the year... IMO, that more people want to shift for themselves reflects a sea change in the most fundamental man / machine interface humans have ever created.

Love the way they used researched to prioritize drivers' needs in the design... Most used control? Hazard lights for frequent stops, so it has a dedicated mechanical switch (everything else is touchscreen-based.)

This problem has literally been on inventors' "problems that need solving" lists for decades... This story shows why its been such a tough nut to crack

Has the retro electronics fad jumped the shark? I’d buy one if it wasn’t for the dorky “Collector’s Edition” logo…

Brilliant idea… “Disposable Digital” camera brings old school film experience to modern picture taking (full disclosure, I enthusiastically backed this Kickstarter)

Hate to say I told you so, but I called this one as soon as Diess made the announcement…

Fantastic Friday read about the business behind one of America’s most iconic designs

I don’t think this headline overstates the business school case study this rebrand is destined to become…

A heads up to watch how you use those Emojis… A “thumbs up” could be costly

Not sure it’s effective from a $$ standpoint, but what a super creative way to deal with design knockoffs…

With all the uncertainty in today’s world, is “safe” branding the way to go?

For my auto design colleagues and fellow car people… I think Dieter Rams is credited with saying “good design is just enough design”, and it’s so refreshing to see the comeback of simple, purposeful wheels. Other manufacturers take a lesson, and yes I’m looking at you Audi…