#product-design

#product-design

A lot has been written about the evolution of user experience since before I ever sat in a Barnes & Noble for hours, trying to understand what the letters "H, C, and I" even meant. In the twelve years since that moment, the tools we use have matured, the rules for interaction have solidified, and the role of design has expanded. We have become a bridge connecting users, businesses, and the technologies that serve them.

Fellow makes minimalist, practical gear from kettles-the aspirational kettle of choice in most sleek coffee shops and beautiful boutique hotels-to coffee grinders and espresso machines. My white Fellow Corvo EKG kettle is one of the appliances that I intentionally leave out on my kitchen counter for when I make tea and, more specifically, matcha. Now Fellow has continued branching out, creating a seamless, branded matcha experience with their five-piece matcha set,

The growth of AI, especially generative AI-related innovations, has introduced a promising way to automate manual activities in every computer-related field, including programming, technical writing, and even UI/UX design. The generative AI core has a predictive, probabilistic nature and high dependence on human-created data inputs, so AI can't ever be trusted to be used beyond human-reviewed automation. But professionals, including product designers, began to overuse AI and ruin their own professional fields.

Mom, these are made just for me. At first, the mom didn't understand. She asked her daughter if she wanted to try on a pair. She started crying: You don't understand. These are made for girls like me. Moments like these are the most fulfilling for White, the founder and CEO of Moolah Kicks the company that engineered the first basketball shoe made specifically for women.

While show-stopping design is often equated with grand gestures - a sculptural sofa, a marble dining table - smaller objects shape our day-to-day just as meaningfully. Gejst's newest designs, the Kydo tray and Sina salt and pepper mills, are small in scale but grand in intention - a testament that everyday tools can be just as impactful as statement pieces. Both embody the Danish brand's quiet philosophy: that good design lives in the balance between simplicity, presence, and purpose.

The circular economy is a sustainable model of production and consumption that aims to reduce waste and extend the life of resources. Unlike the traditional linear system of "take-make-dispose," it promotes a closed-loop approach where materials are reused, repaired, refurbished, and recycled. This model helps conserve natural resources, lowers environmental impact, and supports long-term economic resilience. A recent report indicates that only 6.9% of the 106 billion tonnes of materials used globally each year are recycled.

There's something quietly revolutionary happening in the world of everyday objects, and it starts with something as humble as where you put your umbrella. Arihant Israni and Anoushka Braganza have created InBetween, a piece that challenges our assumptions about what functional design can be. It's not just a place to stash wet umbrellas. It's a whole vibe. Let's be honest: most umbrella stands are afterthoughts. They're plastic cylinders hiding in corners, collecting dust and forgotten receipts.

We also ran side-by-side tests to compare the nitty-gritty, and these are the attributes we looked for. Ease of use: The display should be easy to read, and the app should be easy to navigate. We're not all physical therapists, so the guided massages need to be simple to follow, with diagrams showing where to massage for each muscle group.

Pulli Bin was created to make trash removal effortless. By studying how people of all abilities interact with traditional trash cans, the Pulli team uncovered a fundamental flaw: lifting full trash bags creates strain and often leads to tearing. Pulli Bin reimagines this experience with dual front-opening doors that open outwards, eliminating the need for upward lifting and setting a new standard for ease and usability

"Our users are very young," Pei said on Alex Heath's Access podcast this week. "It's pretty much impossible to be popular among everybody in the world at the very beginning, so we got to pick a lane." Pei said the company has found that its products resonate best with younger consumers who are motivated by a desire to "be different" and find their "own identity" in the devices they choose.

In the world of product design, the right material can turn a vision into reality, and bamboo is emerging as a favorite. Bamboo is a natural material that offers elegance, durability, and a touch of nature in every creation. This remarkable grass is more than a passing trend as it showcases how natural resources can be transformed into products that are elegant and practical. Its versatility allows designers to craft items that are visually striking while maintaining a thoughtful connection to the environment.

The J.M. Smucker Co. is suing Trader Joe's, alleging the grocery chain's new frozen peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are too similar to Smucker's Uncrustables in their design and packaging. In the lawsuit, which was filed Monday in federal court in Ohio, Smucker said the round, crustless sandwiches Trader Joe's sells have the same pie-like crimp markings on their edges that Uncrustables do.

At the heart of this innovative system lies a spiral core that serves as the foundation, much like a basic Lego piece. Children can then personalize their toothbrush by selecting from an array of interchangeable components, including soft-bristled brush heads and six colorful decorative bits. These playful elements range from smiling faces and chunky spiral shapes to whimsical designs like a koala that appears to cling to the brush handle.

Whether you're an athlete, a gamer, a style enthusiast, or simply someone who wants to stay connected, the right wearable can elevate your daily routines. As October 2025 brings fresh innovation and daring new designs, the world of smartwatches is more diverse and exciting than ever. From minimalist e-paper displays to rugged adventure companions and even a gaming PC for your wrist, this year's lineup is packed with options that speak to every need and personality.

I was once a philosophy professor at the University of Colorado, and I was frustrated with my headset tangling every time I went to make a call on my phone. So I drove to a nearbyJoann Fabrics store and glued a couple of huge clothing buttons to the back of my tiny little iPhone so I could wrap my headset around them. I got made fun of for how ridiculous it was, but over the course of about a year and many, many prototypes, I miniaturized it, and eventually launched a business out of my garage in the mountains of Boulder in 2014.

When it comes to software, we like to pretend that quality is a number. Dashboards stand in for judgment, A/B tests stand in for taste, and leaders try to will excellence into existence with reviews and mandates. But in today's software market, confusing a KPI with quality isn't just naive; it's fatal. Consumers' attention spans are short, but their expectations are higher than ever; if your product fails to solve a real problem in an elegant way, you don't get a second chance.