What happens when the design of everyday things misses the mark? People fill in the blanks. Designer Kate Canales has spent more than 20 years photographing the handmade, improvised signs that appear when the original falls short. From perplexing bathroom directions to our struggles with doors and point-of-sale machines, her photos capture something technology can’t replace: our instinct to look out for each other and leave a few instructions behind. (Recorded at TEDNext 2025 on November 11, 2025)
Join us in person at a TED conference:
Become a TED Member to support our mission:
Subscribe to a TED newsletter:
Follow TED!
Instagram:
LinkedIn:
TikTok:
Facebook:
X:
The TED Talks channel features the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world’s leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes (or less) — plus originals, podcasts and exclusive content. Look for videos on Technology, Entertainment and Design as well as science, business, global issues, the arts and more. Visit for our entire library, transcripts, translations and personalized recommendations.
Watch more:
TED videos may be used for non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons License, Attribution–Non Commercial–No Derivatives (or the CC BY – NC – ND 4.0 International) and in accordance with the TED Talks Usage Policy: . For more information on using TED for commercial purposes (e.g. employee learning, in a film or online course), submit a request at
#TED #TEDTalks #Design
@ExistentialWolf
May 18, 2026 at 11:26 am
I suggested Brown Eyed Girl and American Pie … but really everything we harkened to the orbital missions stems from groups like The Five Man Electrical Band. It looks like the predominant theme is “your first one is free” 😉 BTW pay attention to the play between lyrics and _melody._
@tedl7538
May 18, 2026 at 3:12 pm
Well that’s about as off-topic as a comment could be. Observations, Kate? 🤣
@ExistentialWolf
May 18, 2026 at 3:31 pm
@tedl7538 Try something floppy;) Come on out.
@TrainerAshNZ
May 18, 2026 at 4:47 pm
Hard night on the champagne, there’s a bin for that.
@ExistentialWolf
May 18, 2026 at 4:53 pm
@TrainerAshNZ Which one? Sorry, I’m not familiar with the symbols…
@Geniocratic
May 18, 2026 at 2:14 pm
I’m in Japan right now. You would LOVE the signs here, like:
– DO NOT SQUAT ON TOILET SEATS.
– DO NOT THROW TOILET PAPER INTO THE BIN.
@Santiino
May 18, 2026 at 3:18 pm
Nice message.
@akcine
May 18, 2026 at 4:27 pm
Love her!
@com1695
May 18, 2026 at 5:36 pm
For real, sorry — Takada Kenshi.
@rml54
May 18, 2026 at 6:14 pm
Very good, collections can often prove quite interesting- i wish to comment.We set about people who make or design Things are not thinking enough about the use or instructions- they know the info, but either don’t care or are very incomplete in sharing it- i recently wanted to try one of those blue light- light bulbs for the evening- the ones that help cueyour mind that daytime is over- anyway the one that seemed just right, it’s a full size bulb just like I want, but I can only find it in 9 watts- you would think that’s the amount of light for a night light- it does turn out that the box has the amount of lumens listed on it is the key- who’s used to determining which bulb by the number of lumens??? it turns out that this nine watt bulb does indeed equal what we are used to seeing in forty or sixty watts- so my point is this- this company goes to so much trouble to tell you why their blue light bulb is the one you should get and different models They also make and sell, and theirs is the best.And it goes on and on, they don’t see fit to explain this small detail to you, or anyone- i find the fact that instructions or ease of actual use are overlooked phenomenally annoying