John Heskett wants to transform the way we think about design by showing how integral it is to our daily lives, from the spoon we use to eat our breakfast cereal, and the car we drive to work in, to the medical equipment used to save lives. Design combines "need" and "desire" in the form of a practical object that can also reflect the user's identity and aspirations through its form and decoration. This concise guide to contemporary design goes beyond style and taste to look at how different cultures and individuals personalize objects. Heskett also reveals how simple objects, such as a toothpick, can have their design modified to suit the specific cultural behavior in different countries. There are also fascinating insights into how major companies such as Nokia, Ford, and Sony approach design. Finally, Heskett gives us an exciting vision of what design can offer us in the future, showing in particular how it can humanize new technology.

约翰-赫斯凯特希望通过展示设计与我们的日常生活是多么的不可分割，从我们用来吃早餐麦片的勺子，我们开车上班的汽车，到用来拯救生命的医疗设备，来改变我们对设计的思考方式。设计将 "需求 "和 "欲望 "以实用物品的形式结合起来，同时也能通过其形式和装饰反映用户的身份和愿望。这本当代设计的简明指南超越了风格和品味，探讨了不同文化和个人如何将物品个性化。Heskett还揭示了简单的物品，如牙签，如何通过修改其设计来适应不同国家的特定文化行为。此外，还有关于诺基亚、福特和索尼等大公司如何进行设计的引人瞩目的见解。最后，Heskett为我们提供了一个令人兴奋的愿景，即设计在未来可以为我们提供什么，特别是展示了它如何使新技术人性化。