Industrial Design – often thought of as design for mass manufacturing – is dominated by White male designers. This lack of diversity on design teams has significant consequences for those not represented in this demographic group. The expression “shrink it and pink it” is often used for how design is approached toward this group – instead of thoughtful exploration, the default-male version is sized down and made in a stereotypically feminine color. An example of the harmful results of this practice can be seen in the fact that the first female-bodied crash test dummy was not utilized until late 2022. Due to that oversight in a male-dominated industry, women are 17% more likely to die in a car accident and 75% more likely to be injured. This project explores the current and emerging demographic landscape of the Industrial Design industry through a series of data-driven stories that highlight underrepresented and marginalized populations in their own voices. Each episode will feature an individual designer (or close partnership) as a central figure in a node of designers, data, and contexts. Through that collective conversation we will explore their own unique stories as it relates to ID, the broader industry, the products we use everyday and their impacts on our society and the world at large.

Directors | John Trice and Audrey Barnes
Executive Producers | John Trice and Audrey Barnes