Category: Design comment
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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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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…
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To Design or to DesAIgn ? The Generative AI Question for Design Students
Introduction to AIDED Generative AI (GenAI) is widely seen as a disruptive force across the creative industries – one that today’s design students will need to navigate in their professional life. But how do they view the use of the technology in design practice? And what role should GenAI play in shaping design education? A…
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From traffic to teaching: Lessons on informal designs from Nigeria
On my way to Nigeria, I read an article in Wallpaper* magazine (October 2025) about ‘informal designs’ in Nigeria. This felt like a coincidence because I was travelling to Lagos to give a keynote address at the 4th International Colloquium of the Distance Learning Institute at the University of Lagos. The audience included more than…
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New Book: Studio Properties
“There is something very special about the studio as a place of practice and learning” After years of research and writing, Studio Properties: A Field Guide to Design Education is now out! The book is co-authored by a team of international design educators and scholars, including myself (Derek Jones) and Nicole Lotz. It builds on…
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Designing What Doesn’t Exist (Yet)
Designing What Doesn’t Exist (Yet): How Co-Design and Design Fiction Challenge the Innovator’s Dilemma by Rachel A.Wood. A few months ago, I was starting to think about early prototypes for my research. As the result of this I looked at different ways to encourage new ideas. I started to read further about design fiction, and how it…
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OU Sustainathon 2025: A Week of Sustainable Innovation and Student Collaboration
Last week, The Open University proudly hosted its first-ever Sustainathon — an exciting, week-long online initiative where STEM student teams tackled real-world sustainability challenges presented by third-sector organisations. The main objective of the activity is to develop employability skills and increase sustainability awareness. This year, we were thrilled to collaborate with English Heritage and The…