Design Quote by William McDonough
“You don't filter smokestacks or water. Instead, you put the filter in your head and design the problem out of existence.”
About This Quote
Design thinking can eliminate problems by reshaping perception rather than adding external controls.
In simple terms: Innovative problem‑solving through mental framing.
Key Takeaway
Redesign the issue, not the filter.
Themes
creativity
systems thinking
sustainability
innovation
problem solving
Mood
inspired
optimistic
Type
philosophical
motivational
When to use this quote
- product development
- policy making
- organizational change
- personal habit formation
Key Concepts
design thinking
mental models
environmental engineering
Practical Applications
- reframing challenges to avoid waste
- creating sustainable solutions without extra resources
Questions to Reflect On
- How can changing your mental model prevent a problem from arising?
- What are the limits of mental redesign versus physical intervention?
![“Before, the myth of photography doesn't lie was used in order to cover up tricks. If I [make a] portrait [of] you, accommodate you, illuminate you, put make up on you or use a filter, am I not manipulating reality? The only difference is that now I can do it from the computer in the postclick…” quote by Pedro Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/71a/pedro-meyer-46329_abuse_before-the-myth-of-photography-doesn-t-l_152663.jpg)
![“But ripped out of context, ["Who am I to judge?" phrase] has become an all-purpose filter through which everything else - including the pope's multiple reaffirmations of Humanae Vitae, Paul VI's encyclical on the morally appropriate means of family planning - gets airbrushed out of the picture.” quote by George Weigel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b1d/george-weigel-9372_appropriate_but-ripped-out-of-context-who-am-i-to-ju_146817.jpg)
![“You need that same creative force that exists in a building like Disney [Walt Disney Concert Hall] to actually tackle that most prosaic of problems.” quote by William McDonough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a98/william-mcdonough-10055_building_you-need-that-same-creative-force-that-e_157070.jpg)
