We do not usually give much thought to how the things that surround us in our everyday lives are created. Everything we use—from the knives and forks we eat with to the chairs we sit on and the computers we work at—has been designed. (91) Designing may seem simple, but only those who are creative, practical, and sensitive to people’s needs can be successful designers. Designers are artists, first of all. They have to be creative enough to come up with original ideas all the time. They then turn these ideas into actual objects of beauty. (92) Even when they produce an ordinary object like a knife, they should try to make it attractive. However, that is not enough. Good designing requires much, much more. There are practical issues to consider as well. (93) In an age of mass production, designers have to be familiar with manufacturing techniques and the best ways of using materials. (94) For example, it is no use designing an elegant knife which is complicated and expensive to produce in the factory. Few companies would be willing to make or sell such a knife. Therefore, the designer needs to create a knife that can be produced at a reasonable cost. Designers also have to respond quickly to changes in what people think of as desirable. For instance, fashions in materials, colors, and styles are always changing. (95) Designers have to make sure that their creations meet the demands of new lifestyles in the changing world. Their products have to be attractive to ordinary people, not just to themselves. In short, designers must be practical artists who are sensitive to people’s tastes.