General aspects of an international student design project sponsored by Apple, as well as specific points concerning the 1995 competition, are summarized. The author, who is one of Apple’s liaisons working with student teams, emphasizes the interdisciplinary nature of design and how it evolves in the context of different design teams. The coverage of the projects from 1995 is brief and superficial (one paragraph each). However, the reader still obtains a reasonable sense of the effort needed to produce some complex and innovative designs based on a broad design brief.

The article focuses on the impact this project has had on students, schools, and Apple itself. It is based on interviews the author conducted with previous participants and on his own experiences. The author is not shy in extolling the virtues of Apple, yet this does not detract from the overall message. Design is difficult, and good design is difficult to teach. Design needs to be experienced, and the best way to experience it is by working as part of an interdisciplinary team on a real-world problem.

While a project like this has much to offer, there are individual and institutional problems that need to be addressed, such as “How do students from different backgrounds and with different personalities learn to work together effectively?” and “How do students receive credit for this work?” It would have been useful if the author had summarized some of the problems experienced and solutions found by the teams and by those who organize and conduct the competition.