Design Council vision appears to be blurred

In response to Michael Rodber’s letter, John Boult of Product First raises an interesting point about criticism in the public arena (DW 1 March). I could feel my pulse quicken at the thought of some genuine bloodsport inferred by your heading “Stabbed by the rare sword of criticism”.

However, just as I found myself agreeing, I read on and realised why it could never really be a feasible pastime. Let’s face it, product designers are just too damned pious about their own work to accept any criticism, especially on something as well thought out as the “techno rail”, so may I suggest printing some sort of product advisory warning on the cover in case?

It does raise a more fundamental question about how the Design Council vets work and consultancies that it hopes to promote and in turn use to promote its own activities. I would be even more concerned if this booklet containing the “techno rail” ended up on Bill Gates’ desk as representative of UK “design visionaries”.

He would surely laugh all the way to his home page.

Antonio D’Addario

Product designer

No address supplied