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Industrial Design
Monaco
Sustainability
Longbow Motors
Windfall Energy
Flushlocks
CES
Tympany Medical
Automata
Brompton Bicycle
Sustainability In Product Design
Kodu
Hardware Design
John Lewis
Lab Automation
Career Development
Béa Fertility
D2M Product Design
Fieldwork Robotics
If Design

Why Design is a podcast exploring the stories behind hardware and physical product development. Hosted by Chris Whyte, founder of Kodu, the show dives into the journeys of founders, senior design leaders, and engineers shaping people and planet-friendly products. Formerly "The Design Journeys Podcast", each episode uncovers pivotal career moments, lessons learned, and behind-the-scenes insights fr... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes79Founded2 years ago
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DesignCareersBusinessArts

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Artwork for WHY DESIGN?

Latest Episodes

What does it actually take to convince someone to write a cheque for a business that has to build something physical before it can sell anything?

In this compilation episode of Why Design, nine hardware founders and one investor share the belief tha... more

YouTube

What happens to a business the year there's no bonus to hand out?

In this episode of Why Design, Kirsty Dias shares the belief that sits at the heart of her work: that a creative business is built by giving people permission to take the slow, ungla... more

YouTube

What if the candidate who interviews best is exactly the one you should not hire?

In this compilation of Why Design, fifteen hardware founders, CTOs and design leaders share the belief that sits underneath every hire they have ever made: the CV gets... more

YouTube

The hardware and deep tech industry does not do much to tell talented people how to get in, when to make a move, or how to build a career that lasts.

Over twelve episodes of Why Design, Chris Whyte has spoken with founders, CTOs, and senior design a... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
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Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Dish
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Recent Guests

Bob Schwartz
Guest on the compilation sharing career insights
Industry professional in hardware/product design
Episode: Nobody Told Me How to Get Here | A Why Design Guide on Being Hired
Shaun Fynn
Founder of Studio Fynn, a research and visual storytelling practice
Studio Fynn
Episode: Why He Diversified from Designing Products and Started Asking Why? | Shaun Fynn
Marco Perry
Co-founder of Pensa
Pensa
Episode: They Gave Their Own Product Away for Free, Then It Funded in a Day | Pensa
Mark Prommel
Co-founder of Pensa
Pensa
Episode: They Gave Their Own Product Away for Free, Then It Funded in a Day | Pensa
Stephan Clambaneva
Veteran industrial designer and design leader, who runs Park's US arm and has led NYC by Design efforts with IDSA
Park
Episode: Why the Best New Design Leaders Change Nothing in Their First 90 Days | Stephan Clambaneva
Bill Liao
Venture partner at SOSV, investor in hardware/deep-tech startups
SOSV
Episode: The SOSV Partner Who Says the Best Persuaders Are Introverts (And Why He Backs Them First) | Bill Liao
Lisa Gralnek
First US Managing Director of iF Design, leading the US market presence and sustainability initiatives
iF Design
Episode: Why Design Is Still a Polite Cost Centre With Good PR | Lisa Gralnek
Mark Tapscott
Founder of Longbow Motors, serial EV entrepreneur
Longbow Motors
Episode: How He Built a Sports Car Company Without an Engineering Team | Mark Tapscott
Floyd Freeman
Founder, FlushLocks
FlushLocks
Episode: No Engineering Degree. No Prototype. He Signed Up for CES Anyway | Floyd Freeman

Host

Chris Whyte
Host of Why Design, guiding conversations around hardware and product development.

Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars from 18 ratings
  • My go to design podcast

    These episodes are packed with rich insights from a wide variety of well selected figures from across our industry. It’s fascinating, and often validating, to hear the experiences of those who’ve trodden the path before us… Thanks Chris!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    SalopSlop
    United Kingdoma year ago
  • Excellent — Chris knows what makes design interesting!

    Good to hear questions from someone who understands the topic, and gets to the good stuff without any filler.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Xaveus100
    United Kingdoma year ago
  • The art of sharing enthusiasm

    Great podcast - focused specifically on product design. Enthusiastic speakers sharing top tips from wide experiences.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Mark77A
    United Kingdoma year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Guests are described as well-chosen and insightful, offering top-tier tips without filler.
The conversations are highlighted for their actionable takeaways and enthusiasm for hardware design.
Listeners praise the show's depth and focus on practical design leadership.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#180
United Kingdom/Arts/Design
Apple Podcasts
#137
Australia/Arts/Design
Apple Podcasts
#231
Italy/Arts/Design
Apple Podcasts
#50
Chile/Arts/Design
Apple Podcasts
#53
Netherlands/Arts/Design
Apple Podcasts
#75
Israel/Arts/Design

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Designing Play: How Rémi Bigot Built Bitpong and a Creative Hardware Studio in Berlin
Q: Why did you pivot toward a B2B model and venues instead of a consumer-first approach?
He realized the pricing and logistics made direct consumer sales challenging, and that venues like family entertainment centers offered a clear pathway to scale and recurring revenue through installation and service, despite requiring different sales and distributor strategies.
Designing Play: How Rémi Bigot Built Bitpong and a Creative Hardware Studio in Berlin
Q: What was the core inspiration behind Bitpong?
Rémi explains it started as a desire to combine a social ping-pong experience with interactive digital elements, a concept he hoped would attract new audiences to both ping-pong and video gaming, and to enable a social, interactive product in public spaces.
From BBC to Newlane: How Dom Cotton Built What Everyone Said Was Impossible
Q: What were the biggest surprises or challenges in building Newlane's folding helmet?
The length of the development timeline due to rigorous safety testing, the need to align prototype tooling with certification, and learning to work with production tooling and manufacturing partners.
Dr Vicky Lofthouse: Why Context Matters More Than ‘Less Plastic’ in Sustainable Design
Q: What advice would you give to someone starting a career in sustainable product design?
Be brave and proactive in seeking roles; build practical experience through private projects, network on LinkedIn and design communities, and engage with programs and courses that build sustainability literacy and hands-on skills.
Dr Vicky Lofthouse: Why Context Matters More Than ‘Less Plastic’ in Sustainable Design
Q: What are common misconceptions clients have about going green?
Many focus on greening the business (Scope 1 and 2) while neglecting product-level (Scope 3) impacts; the most effective work often starts with product-level assessments and evidence-based prioritization rather than chasing popular but less impactful solutions.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About WHY DESIGN?

What is WHY DESIGN? about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This series centers on the people who design and build hardware, exploring pivotal career moments, decision-making, and the organizational shifts that unlock better physical products. Conversations span design leadership, manufacturing strategy, and go-to-market realities, with a clear through-line around how design drives business value, sustainability, and user-centered outcomes. Notable throughlines include the discipline of turning ideas into scalable production, the tensions between creative vision and manufacturing constraints, and practical lessons from founders and senior design leaders navigating fast-moving hardware spaces. The format frequently blends personal storytelling with actionable guidance for designers, engineers, and pr... more

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1. The Rest Is Politics
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4. The Mel Robbins Podcast

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WHY DESIGN? launched 2 years ago and published 79 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on WHY DESIGN??

Recent guests on WHY DESIGN? include:

1. Bob Schwartz
2. Shaun Fynn
3. Marco Perry
4. Mark Prommel
5. Stephan Clambaneva
6. Bill Liao
7. Lisa Gralnek
8. Mark Tapscott

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