
Winds of Change at Dyson - petewailes
http://www.fastcodesign.com/3050256/innovation-by-design/winds-of-change-at-dyson
======
chestnut-tree
Not mentioned in this article is the James Dyson Award. An annual
international competition for students with a wide brief: _" Design something
that solves a problem...Products that have a significant and practical
purpose, are commercially viable, and are designed with sustainability in
mind."_

The projects submitted are often very impressive and show great skill and
ingenuity. The 2014 award went to a 23 year old student called James Roberts
who designed a inflatable incubator for prematurely-born babies:

[http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-29900968](http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-29900968)

If you want to be inspired, the archive of entries is well worth browsing:

[http://www.jamesdysonaward.org/en-
GB/projects/](http://www.jamesdysonaward.org/en-GB/projects/)

~~~
noir_lord
This years winner was a very well engineered 3D printed design for a
prosphetic hand iirc.

[http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-34044453](http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-34044453)

------
Lewisham
I used to work for Dyson as an intern some 15 years ago now. Obviously, the
company will have to be different than I was there, but one thing that did
strike me is that Malmesbury is really out there. [1] No main train line, at
least a 40 minute drive from the nearest interesting city (Bristol). I can't
imagine them attracting the best talent, particularly if they want to duke it
out with sexier companies in sexier places in the IoT segment.

They couldn't pay me enough to go back there, and I think anyone worth their
time won't either. It's a mistake to build their technology building there and
not near London or at least a major city like Bristol/Manchester/Edinburgh. I
don't think they realize that really good programmers are worth 10 bad ones
(and at least when I was there, they really didn't have the best ones to put
it mildly).

[1] [https://goo.gl/maps/A7A1v](https://goo.gl/maps/A7A1v)

~~~
mikekchar
I invite people to have a look at the street view at the map location you've
given. It seems like a perfectly wonderful place! If I were to move back to
the UK I would pick a place like that over London any day.

I don't think programming ability is actually related to love of large city
centres :-P Certainly it is much easier to hire in large cities, but I'm sure
you can lure the ones who prefer small towns out of London if you offer them a
competitive salary. Whether Dyson is interested in doing that or not, I have
no idea.

~~~
wooster
Yeah, that actually looks nice.

Some of the best programmers I know work from places like that. There's a lot
to be said for getting away from big cities.

------
ksec
I love the tech of Dyson. But I really dislike the Design Languages of many of
their products. It feels like some sort of futuristic design, Mechanical, and
sometimes "Alien".

For me I would like something that is Simple, Elegant, and Coherent.

~~~
olivermarks
For me Dyson and sons are verging on the pretentious with all their
personality marketing. We have a Dyson vacuum cleaner - my wife bought it but
it seems overly complex and over engineered to me without any particularly
special attributes for the price.

The cult of personality and 'we are so clever' sales schtick can get really
annoying, including this article

~~~
nextos
I have a Dyson and I can only second your opinion.

I bought a Miele and its lightyears ahead in terms of quality and
effectiveness. Old Nilfisks are also incredibly well designed.

~~~
wooster
Second the Miele. Compared to a Dyson vacuum the Miele is unquestionably
superior, IME.

