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power. In addition, today's design tools were built to work within the physi-
cal constraints imposed by conventional manufacturing machines.
To break out of the Earl Grey syndrome and take full advantage of 3D print-
ing technologies, we humans need to step up and do better than
St a r Trek
's
scriptwriters. Back on planet Earth, a bit closer to home, I see the Earl Grey
syndrome play out in class. Its roots run deep.
I teach an undergraduate product design course. In the beginning of one
class, I asked students to design a pencil holder that will be both practical
and visually interesting. I explained that their pencil holder project designs
would be 3D printed, so I spent time teaching them about the new design
possibilities laid at their feet.
When I assigned the pencil holder project, I urged students to cut loose
with their designs, to make their pencil holder as “wild looking” as possible.
“Think outside the box—literally,” I told them, hoping to see some mind-
bending, avant-garde designs.
After I gave this assignment, my students returned to class with their
designs complete. As I walked around the room and looked at their computer
screens, my hopes were dashed. Their pencil holder designs were mostly well-
engineered. They could remain upright. Most holders could hold pencils and
pens. In fact, most students turned in good, solid designs that would end up
being sensible and good-enough pencil holders.
A few bolder souls designed some surface lourishes to liven up their pencil
holders. Most of the submitted designs, however, were timid variations on what
already exists. Undergraduate engineering students aren't the only ones who
suffer from the Earl Grey Syndrome. Outside the classroom, I've noticed that
even professional designers frequently forgo the freedom of creation afforded
by a 3D printer.
Marshall McLuhan, Canadian philosopher and author, aptly described
the situation, famously proclaiming “We shape our tools and thereafter our
tools shape us.” McLuhan's powerful insight helps explain the design myopia
that characterizes the Earl Grey Syndrome. A few decades ago, we shaped
computer-aided design tools that respected manufacturing constraints that
no longer exist. Yet, today, these design tools continue to shape us. To break
this stalemate, we must re-shape our design tools.
There are two opportunities, in particular, that I ind promising. First,
making design software intuitive and fun to use. Second, improving the way
computers “think” about shapes, because the way computers think about shape
dictates, to a large extent, how far they can let us explore.
