As long as I stop getting blank looks… I’m happy

Perhaps David Crisp would be a little less uptight if he looked at the broader picture when assessing the merits of Channel 4’s Better By Design. The general public are still fairly unaware of what a designer does, and programmes like this, where the design process is demystified, can only be good for the industry as a whole.

I imagine Richard Seymour and Dick Powell were chosen because they have an approachable, relaxed style that encourages the audience to appreciate designers as real people with a job to do. Plus, they have a successful series under their belts, which proves they are up to the task. Surely all designers win work this way?

I understand Crisp’s point, and agree that it would be good to see more design groups, from all specialisms, on TV. However, if Better By Design results in fewer people looking at me blankly when I tell them what I do for a living, then I’ll be happy.

Richard Hayter

studio@generator-creative.com