The desire to create is a characteristic trait of humans – and the starting point of this activity is materials. Materials are shaped into components, components are assembled, and the surfaces of the whole undergo further processing and improvements to create the product. The book explores the role of materials and production in product design. Contents: What influences product design? Materiality, design, and creativity Materials: everything around us Production: shaping, joining, and surfaces Form follows material   Material selection Materials and sustainability   New materials. The book includes exercises as well as a practical reference guide for inspiration (Material profiles, Shaping process profiles, Joining method profiles, Surface treatment method profiles).   Mike Ashby is an Emeritus Professor of the Royal Society Research at the University of Cambridge and Former Visiting Professor of Design at the Royal College of Art in London. He is the author of several books, including Deformation Mechanism Maps (1980), Cellular Solids (1997), Materials Selection in Mechanical Design (1999), Metal Foams (2000), and Materials and the Environment: Eco-informed Material Choice (2009). Kara Johnson is a graduate of Stanford University and holds a PhD from the University of Cambridge. She studied materials and production but spends her time inspiring designers and clients to experiment with materiality and create brands from the inside out, connecting products with storytelling. She works at IDEO, a global innovation and design consultancy. Her most recent book is I Miss My Pencil, co-authored with Martin Bone (2009), a series of experiments exploring the senses, 'punk' production methods, love, and fetishism within the framework of design.