Insights
Human-centered product design, from a studio that has practiced it for 45 years.
From Ravi's Desk · Ravi Sawhney · 4 min read
Dave Mason: The Rock Legend and Design Innovator Behind RKS Guitars
A tribute to Dave Mason: rock legend, innovator, and co-creator of groundbreaking guitar design at RKS.
Read from the DeskField Notes
Every note reviewed by Ravi SawhneyPsycho-Aesthetics & HCD
Why Useful Products Fail When They Ignore Human Identity
Psycho-Aesthetics & HCD
Why Product Adoption Begins With How People See Themselves
7 min read
AI & the Future of Design
When Robots Enter the Classroom, Human Intelligence Matters More Than Ever
4 min read
AI & the Future of Design
The Promise and Potential of AI in MedTech Product Design
4 min read
AI & the Future of Design
The Future of AI in Healthcare and Medical Product Design
3 min read
AI & the Future of Design
Human-Centered AI: Why Adoption Matters More Than Technology
4 min read
Psycho-Aesthetics & HCD
Why Toy Story 5 Is So Popular | The Psychology Behind Pixar’s Success
3 min read
Medical & Life Sciences
How RKS Designed the MiniMed Insulin Pump: A Full Case Study
4 min read
Psycho-Aesthetics & HCD
The ROI of Human-Centered Design: Real Numbers from Real Projects
4 min read
AI & the Future of Design
AI in Product Design: AI Won’t Replace Designers
4 min read
Design & Engineering Craft
What to Look for in a Product Design Firm: A Buyer’s Guide
4 min read
Medical & Life Sciences
Medical Device UX: Why Good Design Literally Saves Lives
4 min read
Design & Engineering Craft
The 5 Stages of RKS’s Product Design Process
4 min read
Medical & Life Sciences
How to design a medical device: a step-by-step guide
9 min read
Psycho-Aesthetics & HCD
Human-Centered Design vs. Design Thinking: Key Differences Explained
4 min read
Psycho-Aesthetics & HCD
Spotify Logo Reaction: Emotional Familiarity, Trust and Design
3 min read
Design & Engineering Craft
What Does a Product Design Firm Do? (And When Do You Need One?)
3 min read
Psycho-Aesthetics & HCD
What Is Psycho-Aesthetics® and Why It Matters in Product Design
4 min read
Psycho-Aesthetics & HCD
A Pattern, Not a Post: What Late-Night Signals Reveal About Human Perception
3 min read
AI & the Future of Design
RKS Design Marks 45 Years of Innovation With PA-AI
4 min read
Psycho-Aesthetics & HCD
45 Years of Human-Centered Innovation at RKS Design
9 min read
AI & the Future of Design
When AI Starts Shaping Decisions: From Intent to Influence
3 min read
Psycho-Aesthetics & HCD
When Automation Breaks the Experience: The Hidden Risk of Self-Service Design
3 min read
Medical & Life Sciences
Our Predicted 2026 Medical Technology and Healthcare Trends
4 min read
Trends & Industry
Our Predicted 2026 Industrial Design Trends
4 min read
Trends & Industry
Our Predicted 2026 Product Development Trends
4 min read
AI & the Future of Design
Our Predicted 2026 AI and Human-Centered Intelligence Trends
4 min read
Studio News
2025 Year in Review
3 min read
Studio News
Creating Together
3 min read
Trends & Industry
Insights from LA Tech Week 2025
5 min read
Medical & Life Sciences
What We Learned from SoCalBio 2025
3 min read
AI & the Future of Design
Top 3 AI and Machine Learning Trends Revolutionizing Product Development in 2025
3 min read
Trends & Industry
Top 3 Industrial Design and Product Development Trends Shaping 2025
3 min read
Medical & Life Sciences
Top 3 Medical Technology Trends Transforming Healthcare in 2025
4 min read
Studio News
Welcome to the team, Sean!
2 min read
Medical & Life Sciences
Revolutionizing Stroke Diagnosis
3 min read
AI & the Future of Design
Use Cases of Artificial Intelligence in the Design Industry
3 min read
Trends & Industry
The Top 3 IoT Trends of 2024
2 min read
Trends & Industry
The Top 3 Industrial Design Trends of 2024
3 min read
Psycho-Aesthetics & HCD
What is Product-Market Fit?
4 min read
Design & Engineering Craft
What does a design and innovation firm do?
7 min read
Design & Engineering Craft
How to Define Product Feature Set – Our Steps to Defining Your Product Feature Sets
8 min read
Medical & Life Sciences
Medical Device Design Guide: Part 2
4 min read
Medical & Life Sciences
Medical Device Design Guide: Phase 0 – Define Your Needs
3 min read
Trends & Industry
The Top 5 Industrial Design Trends for 2023
4 min read
Trends & Industry
How to hire a (great) product design firm
9 min read
Design & Engineering Craft
How to hire a (great) product development firm
8 min read
Design & Engineering Craft
How to hire a (great) software development company
7 min read
Design & Engineering Craft
Measure Twice, Cut Once
2 min read
Psycho-Aesthetics & HCD
Some thoughts on the future of design
4 min read
Psycho-Aesthetics & HCD
Human-Centered Design
6 min read
Studio News
RKS teaches Psycho Aesthetics® at UCLA Anderson
3 min read
Studio News
D and A Guitar Gear Featured on Fox Business
2 min read
Consumer & Lifestyle
Holiday Gift Guide Vol 1: Five-Star Products by RKS
6 min read
Studio News
Delaney Santos joins RKS as an Industrial Designer
1 min read
Studio News
Josh Probst Joins RKS Design as an Industrial Designer
1 min read
Medical & Life Sciences
DreamWarmer – Mike Elam’s infant baby warmer is already saving lives
4 min read
Studio News
National Industrial Design Day
1 min read
Studio News
Celebrating our 40th Anniversary
3 min read
Studio News
RKS Celebrates Our 40th Anniversary
1 min read
Studio News
Featured Friday: Dean Loock
3 min read
Studio News
Feature Friday: Alex Gilbert
2 min read
Studio News
Feature Friday: Ben Azzam
4 min read
Design & Engineering Craft
What does a mechanical engineer do?
4 min read
AI & the Future of Design
Design And Artificial Intelligence
2 min read
Studio News
RKS Goes Green, Again!
1 min read
Studio News
Psycho-Aesthetics (P/A) hosts workshops
1 min read
Medical & Life Sciences
Inovio Creates HIV Breakthrough
1 min read
Studio News
RKS hires world-class designer Mike Elam
3 min read
Studio News
RKS Launches LoanGifting.com
2 min read
Studio News
RKS Wins Silver Edison Award
3 min read
Studio News
Start-Up Kids: Westlake Elementary
2 min read
Videos
More videos ›July 23, 2026
NEWSMAX Interview
June 29, 2026
PA-AI™ Video Series
June 22, 2026
PA-AI™ Video Series
June 15, 2026
PA-AI™ Video Series
June 8, 2026
PA-AI™ Video Series
June 1, 2026
PA-AI™ Video Series
May 28, 2026
PA-AI™ Video Series
May 21, 2026
PA-AI™ Video Series
May 14, 2026
PA-AI™ Video Series
May 8, 2026
PA-AI™ Video Series
December 12, 2025
How to be a discerning shopper this holiday season
May 7, 2025
AI Envisioned: Navigating the Future of Healthcare and Innovation
April 7, 2025
Innovation-Driven Product Development & Design Strategy
June 20, 2024
Our CEO, Ravi Sawhney, discussed DPA One on WBBM | CBS Chicago
April 23, 2024
AI Examined: Uncovering Challenges and Ethics in Healthcare
April 4, 2024
AI Explored: Unveiling Perceptions and Potential
December 20, 2023
WBBM | CBS Chicago | Teddy Ruxpin creator using AI to help save lives
December 15, 2023
Talking With The Teddy Ruxpin Designer
November 30, 2023
RKS & Synaptic Revolutionize Cardiac Care
November 9, 2023
How a Critical Insight Led to a $3.6 Billion Acquisition - The RKS & MiniMed Story
September 21, 2023
Elevating Bar Top Gaming: RKS and IGT's Groundbreaking Collaboration
August 17, 2023
Making Technology Human Through Teddy Ruxpin
August 10, 2023
The Impact of Teddy Ruxpin on Synthesizing Technology
August 2, 2023
Designing the World's Most Famous Toy: The Experience of Designing Teddy Ruxpin
June 22, 2023
RKS x RKS: The Wall Garden
May 23, 2023
The Journey to Streamline DNA Vaccine Delivery
May 4, 2023
Lessons from Research: It's about how the design makes you feel about yourself
May 2, 2023
Lessons from Research: It’s one thing to have empathy; it’s another to walk in someone's shoes
April 25, 2023
Lessons from Research: Everyone is creative, even if the don't have the same skills
April 6, 2023
Zyliss x RKS| Part 2: The design and development of the Zyliss Can Opener and Zyliss Garlic Press
April 4, 2023
Zyliss x RKS| Part 1: Research and Strategy
March 23, 2023
How did you become an engineer?
February 20, 2023
How Psycho-Aesthetics Creates Great User Experience (UX)
January 19, 2023
Meritech CleanTech EVO Handwashing Device: The RKS Integrative Process of Engineering and Design
October 10, 2022
RKS Guitars - How the RKS Guitar Became a Never-Ending Story
September 6, 2022
How Is AI Going to Affect our Daily Life?
August 18, 2022
Design is meant to Improve People's Lives
August 3, 2022
The Impact of Good Design: Thoughts from our Creative Director
May 16, 2022
Build versus Buy: The essential design question for enterprise software development
July 27, 2021
How did you become a designer?
July 19, 2021
How did you become a designer?
July 7, 2021
How does a $15 can opener get 22,000 4/5 star Amazon reviews?
June 28, 2021
How does RKS use P/A Mapping?
June 4, 2021
Why is collaboration essential to our process?
May 17, 2021
What is Psycho-Aesthetics?
Podcasts
Product Mastery Now · July 27, 2026
Why Product Adoption Begins With How People See Themselves
Apple Podcasts · June 30, 2026
Navigating Design Innovation with Ravi Sawhney
RelayTo · March 16, 2026
Predictable Magic: The $10 Billion Design Secret
Apple Podcasts · January 7, 2026
Designing What Humans Really Need | The Power of Psycho-Aesthetics
BridgeNet · July 11, 2025
Understanding Consumer Needs: The Key to Successful Design and Innovation
Slingshot · April 9, 2025
Designing the Future: How Human-Centered Design Transforms User Experiences
Apple Podcasts · March 27, 2025
The Award-Winning Strategy Behind Sustainable Product Design
Apple Podcasts · October 1, 2024
Navigating the Changing Landscape of Client Engagement in Design with RKS Design's Ravi Sawhney
Apple Podcasts · August 29, 2024
The Psychology of Design: How Understanding Behavior Drives Innovation
Press
In the News ›Press release · April 15, 2026
RKS Design marks 45 years of innovation with PA-AI
Marking its 45th year, the studio behind Psycho-Aesthetics launches PA-AI, applying the methodology to product-adoption prediction.
Read the releaseYouTube · July 28, 2026
The Real Product-Market Fit Problem Is Emotional | Ravi Sawhney
Product Mastery Now · July 27, 2026
AI in the Classroom: Why Human Intelligence Matters
Newsmax · July 23, 2026
AI in the Classroom: Why Human Intelligence Matters
MSN · June 24, 2026
Why Toy Story 5 Resonates Beyond Nostalgia
OK! Magazine · June 19, 2026
How Visual Contrast Shapes Perception Long Before Words Do
Fox News · May 8, 2026
Why Packaging Shapes Behavior Before Logic Does
PR Newswire · April 14, 2026
RKS Design Marks 45 Years of Innovation with New Book and Introduces PA-AI
Daily Mail · April 1, 2026
When Automation Breaks the Experience: The Hidden Risk of Self-Service Design
Yahoo Finance · March 26, 2026
PA-AI Expands Leadership as It Continues to Advance
Star Magazine · March 16, 2026
Experts Warn AI Toys Raise Concerns for Children
OK! Magazine · March 15, 2026
Google Faces Lawsuit Over AI Music Training
New York Post · February 24, 2026
Inside In-N-Out’s Cult Following in LA
Core77 · February 3, 2026
When Does Human-Centered Design Step Into AI? Now.
RKS Design · February 3, 2026
Ravi Sawhney Announces PA-AI: Humanizing LLMs
NBC Los Angeles · January 15, 2026
NBC Los Angeles Features Ravi Sawhney on Branding Strategy
YouTube · December 12, 2025
How to be a discerning shopper this holiday season
Fortune · November 7, 2025
Our Founder & CEO Weighs In
PR Newswire · September 10, 2025
Gloria Govan and RKS Design Join Forces to Launch EDGE
PPAI · September 2, 2025
Heritage Brands Can’t Afford Soulless Design
The Tech National · May 29, 2025
9 Expert Opinions: AI in Everyday Life in 2025.
NTD · May 22, 2025
3 Big US Companies That Haven't Succumb to Tariffs
Family Handyman · May 7, 2025
The True Meaning Behind the “Made in USA” Label
Core77 · March 31, 2025
Psycho-Aesthetics 2.0 featured by Core77
RKS Design · March 17, 2025
Ravi Sawhney Donates 100 Copies of Psycho-Aesthetics 2.0 at IDC 2024
Fox Business · March 4, 2025
Get Your New Smartphone Before Tariffs Impact the Price
Health Journal · February 26, 2025
Are We Ready for the AI Healthcare Revolution? A Special Report
Packaging Dive · January 15, 2025
FDA Nutrition Info Box: What Designers Should Know
Trellis · January 8, 2025
Lego, Mattel, and the Future of the $109 Billion Toy Industry’s Addiction to Plastic
YouTube · December 20, 2023
WBBM | CBS Chicago Interviewed, Teddy Ruxpin creator using AI to help save lives
YouTube · December 15, 2023
Talking With The Teddy Ruxpin Designer
From the Studio
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