Russian engineer who created the Kalashnikov assault rifle. It is designed to be simple and cheap to mass-produce by low-tech factories, and to be used by untrained personnel and to function in harsh environments without much maintenance. At an anniversary "celebration" for the rifle, he said he wished he had designed a refrigerator instead.
While not as accurate, comfortable to use and deadly by western standards, or any other specific parameter, it is an efficient and well-rounded design with a good balance of all factors.
It is one of the most (if not the most) manufactured, copied and currently-used rifle in its class around the world for last 30-40 years and in years to come; it provides a striking example that simplicity is one of the most important factors in product planning.
See original on c2.com 