Design Theory Courses

Why Companies Can't Design Sustainable, Eco-Friendly Products

1 rating

An industrial design analysis of how scale, materials, incentives, and product life cycles make sustainable products difficult to create.

• YouTube
• 22 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Free Video

How Governments Use Design and Propaganda to Control You

1 rating

Explore how governments use design and visual communication to shape public opinion, from ancient scribes to modern propaganda techniques in architecture, art, and product design.

• YouTube
• 42 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Free Video

How to Make Useless Things Feel Priceless

Explore the fascinating psychology behind why seemingly worthless items can command extraordinary prices, from rare Cheetos to million-dollar art pieces, and how cultural context shapes perceived value.

• YouTube
• 20 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Free Video

The Most Beautiful Curve - According to Science

Explore the science behind aesthetic beauty through optical illusions, the Line of Beauty, composition principles, symmetry, and the Golden Ratio in design.

• YouTube
• 25 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Free Video

Why Simple Everyday Objects Are Impossible to Make

Uncover the hidden complexity behind everyday objects like toasters and pencils, revealing centuries of innovation and global supply chains that make "simple" items incredibly sophisticated.

• YouTube
• 26 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Free Video

The Most Controversial Designer of the 20th Century

Discover Luigi Colani's revolutionary biomorphic design philosophy and his six-decade battle against conventional design establishment principles.

• YouTube
• 29 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Free Video

The People Who Secretly Decide How Everything Looks

Uncover the hidden forces and decision-makers who secretly control the visual design of our modern world and why everything looks the way it does.

• YouTube
• 27 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Free Video

Why Creative Success Destroys People

An exploration of how creative success, obsession, and relentless work can gradually destroy the artists and innovators it celebrates.

• YouTube
• 37 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Free Video

How We Designed the Soul Out of Everything

Explore how modern design's pursuit of seamlessness and convenience strips away curiosity, connection, and meaning from our daily experiences.

• YouTube
• 26 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Free Video

The System Is Rigged Against Repairable Products - Beyond Corporate Greed

Explore the complex barriers to product repairability beyond corporate greed, examining systemic challenges, consumer expectations, design constraints, and potential solutions for sustainable manufacturing.

• YouTube
• 28 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Free Video

Why Society Hates Creative People and What to Do About It

An examination of why society and businesses resist creative work, with advice on preserving experimentation, personal projects, and the courage to keep creating.

• YouTube
• 26 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Free Video

Will Artificial Intelligence End Human Creativity?

Examines how rapidly evolving AI design tools may reshape human creativity, design practice, employment, and ownership of creative work.

• YouTube
• 33 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Free Video

Why Modern Car Designs Are So Visually Complex - Q&A With Pro Designer

An industrial designer explains how safety, aerodynamics, manufacturing, and attention-grabbing goals make modern car designs visually complex.

• YouTube
• 27 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Free Video

Why a Great Design Portfolio Is Not Enough

Industrial design job-hunt advice on mindset, networking, referrals, persistence, and creative ways to find work beyond a portfolio.

• YouTube
• 25 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Free Video

Eastern & Western Design - How Culture Rewires the Brain

Explore how cultural differences between East and West influence brain processing, visual perception, and design approaches, shaping unique creative perspectives and methodologies.

• YouTube
• 37 minutes
• Self-Paced
• Free Video