Professor Nigel Cross is a leading international figure in the world of design research and methodology. He is a long-time member of the academic staff of the UK's pioneering, multimedia Open University, where he has been involved in developing a wide range of distance-education courses in design,. He has also held visiting appointments in The Netherlands, Australia and the USA. His research interests are principally in understanding the nature of design ability, and the development of design skill from novice to expert. Professor Cross is also editor-in-chief of Design Studies, the international journal of design research.