People start talking about design when a product does not do what it is supposed to, is made from the wrong material or is simply ugly. All people make mistakes, including designers. The wise ones are those who acknowledge their mistakes. 

The most prominent mistakes are usually those where the ignorant designer has not paid enough attention to the user-friendliness, accessibility and environment-friendliness or has simply turned his/her back to the problem in need of a solution and has become more devoted to creating something beautiful. Designers often forget about the end user aka the HUMAN BEING. Numerous warehouses are filled with pointless products which due to their short lifespan damage the environment. In order to prevent mistakes of your own, it is recommended to learn from other people’s mistakes. Which are the typical mistakes that every designer should avoid – are they embedded in the inability to read the design brief, knowledge of the market, lack of empathy, bad communication, lack of time or something else?

These and many other questions are asked and an international group of designers try to find answers to them on September 25 when the Estonian Association of Designers is organising a seminar where designers and design fans talk about the lessons they have learned while working or analysing other people’s works. The programme includes presentations by the accessory designer Elissa Bloom from the USA, the internationally renowned industrial designer Paolo Favaretto from Italy, design strategists Mikal Hallstrup and Steinar Valade-Amland from Denmark, the famous Estonian industrial designer Martin Pärn, the designer who works on the border of industrial art Tania De Bruycker from Belgium and the design and science journalist Michael Dumiak from Berlin who is originally from the USA. The seminar takes place in the NO99 Theatre. 

Furthermore, the “Design Misstakes” exhibition is open in the former Helios cinema starting from September 25. It consists of vivid examples of good and bad design which are collected through social media and from the stories told by the performers at the seminar. The interactive exhibition will remain open for discussion and comments until October 10. The curators are the interior architect Liina Vaino and the designer Tijn Nelemans from the Netherlands. 

To register to the seminar please fill the registration form