Some of the World’s Best Examples of BAD Invention Design

In order to be experts in good design, you need to study the bad.  We’ve cruised around the web to bring you some terrible industrial design mistakes (some could not be shown due to the PG nature of MAKO’s Invention blog!).  If you have any that you’ve seen feel free to add them in a comment below the article! Here are some very bad invention design examples:

#1 – Separate Hot and Cold Water Taps

Choice number 1: Extremely hot water.  Choice number 2: Freezing cold water.  Choice number 3: Smart inventor with a SmartWater bottle (clearly they were drinking SmartWater to be able to figure this one out).

#2 – The Friendly Urinals

Maybe more of an architectural issue then an industrial design flaw, but worth showcasing.  These may have been organized like this for those occasional moments where you need a helping hand.  Some runner-ups as well:

#3 – The Exploding Ford Pinto

This is literally what happens when you are bumped from behind in this timeless classic of a high-quality automobile: The Ford Pinto (some sarcasm noted).  Ford knew there was exploding car issues due to the rear-mounted gas tank; however, they were unwilling to justify the additional $11 for the gas tank protective shield.  Luckily, due to numerous mechanical issues, there aren’t many of these left on the roads to run in to.

#4 – The USB Connector

If the lighting conditions aren’t perfectly bright and without a perfect line of site to your USB receptacle, you have exactly a 50/50 chance of sticking it in the correct way – Or possibly less as it’s sometimes so tight that you first assume you put it the wrong way, flip it over, maybe put it in off to the side, maybe can’t remember which way you started with, maybe have it offset by 90 degrees, maybe end up breaking one of the delicate components, maybe end up throwing it out a window…  Let’s be honest – You’ve fought with this connector at least once in your life.

#5 – The iPad Retro Typewriter

Wait a minute, this isn’t a flaw at all – This thing is frigging cool!  If you’re looking to get MAKO Design + Invent a present this holiday…

#6 – The 3-Wheeled ATVs

Just take a turn that is slightly more aggressive than a mild bend.

#7 – The iPhone 5c Apple Case

Strait off Apple’s production line comes their flagship self-designed case, one which can be purchased alongside your phone right from the Apple Store.  For the best design firm in the world, it’s tough to see obvious flaws (and since when has bright green and bright yellow come together as complimentary colors?).

Any others that you’ve seen?  Post the link below!

About: MAKO Design + Invent is the original firm providing world-class consumer product development services tailored to startups, small manufacturers, and inventors. Simply put, we are the leading one-stop-shop for developing your physical product from idea to store shelves, all in a high-quality, cost-effective, and timely manner. We operate as one powerhouse 30-person product design team spread across 4 offices to serve you (Austin, Miami, San Francisco, & Toronto). We have full-stack in-house industrial design, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, patent referral, prototyping, and manufacturing services. To assist our startup and inventor clients, in addition to above, we help with business strategy, product strategy, marketing, and sales/distribution for all consumer product categories. Also, our founder Kevin Mako hosts The Product Startup Podcast, the industry's leading hardware podcast. Check it out for tips, interviews, and best practices for hardware startups, inventors, and product developers. Click HERE to learn more about MAKO Design + Invent!