Review: Genius or Junk featuring Benn Klewpatinond

You don't want to miss this episode of Genius or Junk, hosted by Jim Fowler, featuring our founder, Benn Klewpatinond. Benn brings one Genius product and one Junk design to the table to discuss. Their discussion blends design philosophy, personal experience, and real-world usability in a way that feels both accessible and insightful.

Drawing on lived experience rather than technical terminology, Benn explores how truly great design supports freedom, inclusivity, and effortless movement. His 'Genius' product is a perfect example of this: invisible, empowering, and continuously evolving through material and manufacturing innovation. The conversation, connects historical experimentation, from Leonardo da Vinci’s early ideas, to modern advancements, reinforcing the idea that genius design is rarely a single moment, but a long, ever evolving journey.

The episode also tackles a familiar everyday frustration, a design earning its place firmly in the “Junk” pile: This segment is both amusing and painfully relatable. Benn explains the concept clearly, showing how poor and misleading visual cues can turn simple actions into moments of embarrassment and friction. What makes this discussion particularly effective is the reframing of blame: when 'it' confuses you, it’s not user error, it’s bad design, we've all been there...

Jim Fowler’s hosting keeps the conversation flowing naturally, balancing humour with curiosity. The episode benefits from Benn's background as a designer and inventor, offering behind-the-scenes insight into prototyping, failure, and the importance of intuitive design.

Overall, this episode is a strong example of what Genius or Junk does best: making design thinking engaging, relevant, and surprisingly fun. Whether you’re a designer, engineer, or just someone who’s ever pushed a door that should’ve been pulled, this episode will leave you seeing everyday objects a little differently and maybe even finding yourself curious as to how and why, when looking at a simple door hinge.

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