Designers of objects are pivotal in an interdisciplinary trade. In order to successfully realize and sell useful designs, they must be able to continuously switch between their own ideas and the knowledge and experience of technicians, constructors, ergonomists, marketers, scientists, producers, and consumers. However different designers may be, basic knowledge of the five main thematic pillars on which each product is built is indispensable: material, construction, function, meaning, and market. Knowledge of these pillars helps the designer to critically develop and evaluate his product, but also when answering questions such as: ‘What do I want to create and how?’, ‘What is my fascination?’, ‘How do I relate to the world, and which place do I want to occupy in it?’ In this book, Jeroen van den Eijnde and Hans Ansems describe how designs come into being, how they are constructed, and what the motives, sources of inspiration, questions, and preferences of the designer have been. This book is made for anyone who wants to delve into the process of design and the effect of design on the environment. The richly illustrated book offers inspiration thanks to many historical and current examples and helps to choose between different design principles and research methods so that one’s own fascinations can be further deepened.