Episode Details

What if the products we use every day were designed around the realities of human life—not an imaginary “ideal” user?

In this episode of Thought Atlas, I sit down with Douglas Katz, a West Point graduate, disabled Army veteran, inventor, and entrepreneur whose journey has taken him from the U.S. Army and the private sector into adaptive product design.

Douglas grew up in Michigan, attended West Point from 1989 to 1993, and was commissioned into the U.S. Army as an artillery officer. After leaving the Army as a captain in 1998, he worked across several industries, including rail casting, telecommunications, and lending, where he spent roughly 25 years.

Around 2021–2022, physical issues connected to his military service, contact sports, and years of wear on his joints were increasingly affecting his everyday life. His shoulder was severely damaged, he had arthritis and carpal tunnel, and one of his passions—cooking—was becoming difficult.

So Douglas built something for himself.

Using a circular saw blade, he created a knife in his garage designed to help him overcome his limitations in the kitchen. That invention became NULU, an adaptive kitchen knife. What began as a personal solution eventually revealed a much broader opportunity: other people were experiencing similar difficulties with everyday products.

That becomes the starting point for a much bigger conversation about inclusive design, disability, aging, independence, and dignity.

Douglas explains why he believes designers often build around an assumed “ideal” user and why designing for people with different physical abilities can lead to products that are useful for a much broader population.

We explore the difference between accommodation and independence. For Douglas, the goal isn’t simply to make allowances for someone’s limitations. It’s to create tools that allow people to accomplish things for themselves and participate more fully in everyday life.

His experience caring for his father also gave him another perspective on the subject. Products that help people remain independent can benefit not only the individual using them, but also the people providing care.

Douglas also shares lessons from his military experience and explains how planning, problem-solving, and considering contingencies have influenced the way he approaches entrepreneurship and product development.

We discuss why he believes function should come before flash, why dignity matters in design, and why genuinely disruptive products should solve real problems rather than simply carry the label of “disruption.”

Another fascinating part of the conversation is his argument that universal design isn’t only about disability. As people age, physical abilities can naturally change. An accident, illness, reduced grip strength, or arthritis can alter what someone is able to do. Douglas believes this means inclusive design is ultimately relevant to everyone.

He also discusses the potential size of the market for products designed around these needs and why he believes manufacturers may increasingly recognize the opportunity.

Near the end, I ask Douglas what question he would want people to ask when looking at the objects they use every day.

His answer is simple:

“Can you make it better?”

He encourages us not to automatically accept inefficient designs simply because they are familiar, but to question whether something can be made more functional, efficient, and useful.

Listeners who want to connect with Douglas can reach him through his personal website, DouglasMKatz.com, where he says there is information about NULU and his other work. You can also explore his official NULU site at NULUKnives.com. Douglas says listeners are welcome to reach out to him through these ch