This document discusses research into developing a theory and method for designing transforming products. It begins by introducing transformation principles and facilitators identified through studying thousands of patents and products. A transformer repository containing 190 transforming products is described. The research aims to identify relationships between principles and facilitators through empirical study in order to guide designers and find new transformation solutions. An inductive approach is used involving observing nature, patents and products to extract transformation heuristics and develop a theory from the bottom up.