You have probably ridden an electric car or scooter, but have you ever ridden a Onewheel? This lightweight mobility vehicle has one giant wheel and a motor, and sensors that control the motion of the motor to balance you. So it balances for you, and you lean forward to go, back to slow down, and lean on the side to make a turn. But perhaps most importantly, it is designed to create a joyful feeling while riding it. What does it mean to design and engineer a product for a feeling? In this episode of Thanks for Making It, host Beth Altringer Eagle, head of Brown and RISD’s Master of Arts in Design Engineering, interviews Kyle Doerksen, the creator of Onewheel. They discuss his background in design and engineering, how he turned a Design Engineering passion into a successful business while still working at IDEO, Onewheel’s creative process, and the many benefits of mixing design and engineering.

In this latest episode of the Thanks for Making It podcast, we interview another faculty member from Brown and RISD’s Master of Arts in Design Engineering, Hal Wuertz, Design Principal, AI Experience and Research at IBM. Hal shares her perspective on how design intersects with engineering, what differentiates great design from good design, why having a low ego is critical in the design space, her professional journey, and what made her interested in art and design.

Good design starts with good insights. And designers should be able to understand what their target audience is feeling or thinking in order to create the right solution for them. 

But how do you become more receptive to insights? According to our guest today, you nurture your perspective and point of view.

In this episode of the Thanks for Making It podcast, our host Beth Altringer Eagle welcomes Professor Khipra Nichols, MADE Faculty Co-Director and Head of the Industrial Design Department at RISD. They talk about the importance of insights for design, the difference between good and great design, and why design pushes you to go beyond your own expectations.