The design of many common (and some uncommon) objects is something that most people don't think about on a regular basis. Even very successful designs can go unnoticed, and only a few industrial designs have been elevated to iconic status. Creating better design is the focus of the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (Icsid), and their work takes place in over 50 countries and...

Some of our readers may wonder, "What exactly is industrial design?" Fortunately The Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) is well-positioned to provide such an answer. On their site, they define Industrial design (ID) as "the professional service of creating and developing concepts and specifications that optimize the function, value and appearance of products and systems for the mutual...