A blog about design at the OU.
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Old Hobby, New Panic: What the pottery wheel reminded me about designing
Fifteen years is long enough for a skill to either disappear completely or lie in wait like a smug little party trick. This weekend (31 January 2026), I walked into a pottery studio for the first time since 2011 and sat down at the wheel with the exact confidence of someone about to take an…
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Neurodiversity and design: This world is not designed by, with or for me
Mel Green writes poignantly on OpenLearn that neurodiversity refers to the natural diversity of human minds. Brains and patterns of neurocognition vary among all individuals. These variations are normal and valuable, and they should be recognised and respected in the same way as any other human variation. Current estimates suggest that between fifteen and twenty…
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Designing comfort: or the joy of jumpers
I am currently running a survey trying to understand people’s perceptions of different aspects of comfort in multiple types and ages of homes in the North of England and the Scottish Borders, from 15th century cottages to Passive Houses (and if you’re in this area and want to fill in the survey you can…
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A Christmas Cracker
It is coming now, we are very close to the most exciting time of the year. The pulling of the Christmas Cracker. I know, I know – I know about the presents, the trees, the lights, the big meal and the small brandy (or two), but for me it has always been about the cracker.…
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The Psychology of Gaps in Design
Why do unfinished things draw us in? by Rachel A.Wood The inspiration for this blog came during a lively conversation with fellow designers, as we explored new sources of inspiration. I found myself captivated by the concept of ‘intentional incompleteness’ and began to wonder how leaving things unfinished could transform both my practice and my research.…
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There is power in a Standard approach: How Non-Sighted People Master Mainstream Tech
Image: A person holding a smartphone displaying a chatbot interface, with the message ‘Can I help you’ It’s a common misconception that people who are non-sighted or partially sighted rely solely on highly specialised, complex equipment to interact with the digital world. While dedicated assistive technology (AT) certainly plays a vital role, the real revolution…
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Robots and the city – Urban Robotics Symposium and the MK RoboPASS
Readers of the Design@Open blog probably know that blog rotas are planned months in advance. I had originally planned to use this this blog entry to think about the Smart City Robotics Festival in Milton Keynes, and particularly the Smart City and Robotics Symposium of 23rd September. Just as I was considering how to present…
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A gripping tale of good design
When in 1987 I joined the OU’s Design Department (as it then was called) it was to work with Robin Roy in the Design Innovation Group (DIG) on a project to evaluate the commercial impacts of the Design Council’s Funded Consultancy Programme. Under this, SMEs were awarded a grant to employ a design consultant to…
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Regenerative Heritage Green Spaces Project: Workshop 2
Bringing people together to solve heritage greenspace challenges Anyone managing a heritage site knows the headache. You have got Victorian gardens that need preserving, climate targets that need meeting, communities that need access, and budgets that never stretch far enough. How do you juggle it all without dropping something important? We had quite a day…
