EDE 99 (Engineering Design Education Conference 99) is an important international event bringing together a range of experts from engineering design education to showcase the latest ideas and innovations. The conference theme is the Continuum of Design Education and the programme addresses the full spectrum of design education from primary, through secondary and tertiary, to continuing professional development. EDE 99 aims to provide a forum for sharing of experiences of those who shape our future engineers and will make an important contribution to the body of knowledge in design education. Topics include: the continuum of design education; learning to design or designing to learn; teaching design in secondary schools; developing observation and spatial skills; information technology in design; international comparisons. The meeting incorporates the 21st Annual Conference on Engineering Design Education, under the auspices of SEED (Sharing Experience in Engineering Design), and the 6th National Conference on Product Design Education under the auspices of the Institution of Engineering Designers (IED). All those involved in engineering should be concerned about its future. This volume should be of interest to educators in the field, employers in companies who recruit engineers, and those who make policy decisions about the educational and economic well being that affects us all.