A blog about design at the OU.
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“The Government has decided to create a University of the Air”
60 years ago on 6 February 1966, Jennie Lee tabled a White Paper to Cabinet titled University of the Air. Critically, it did not say things like ‘We are Open to People, Place, and Methods’. It didn’t even use the name The Open University. But what it did do – and in only 3 pages…
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Design as Dialogue: Co-Designing Desert Narratives
As I settle into my role at the OU, I have been reflecting on what previous projects taught me about design research, particularly when it sits between disciplines. Before joining the OU, I spent several years working on interdisciplinary research projects at Lancaster University. One that has stayed with me is Desert Disorders, a British…
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Adventures in Copilot whispering
AnnMarie McKenna and Catherine Scott The AI Design Ed (AIDED) project began in 2024 with a survey of concurrent Open University design students, providing baseline data to support the main research aim of exploring the practical applications AI image generation tools within design education. Survey findings showed student attitudes and understanding of generative AI image…
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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…
