Success through failure : the paradox of design
Author(s)
Bibliographic Information
Success through failure : the paradox of design
Princeton University Press, 2006
- : hard
- : pbk
Available at 7 libraries
  Aomori
  Iwate
  Miyagi
  Akita
  Yamagata
  Fukushima
  Ibaraki
  Tochigi
  Gunma
  Saitama
  Chiba
  Tokyo
  Kanagawa
  Niigata
  Toyama
  Ishikawa
  Fukui
  Yamanashi
  Nagano
  Gifu
  Shizuoka
  Aichi
  Mie
  Shiga
  Kyoto
  Osaka
  Hyogo
  Nara
  Wakayama
  Tottori
  Shimane
  Okayama
  Hiroshima
  Yamaguchi
  Tokushima
  Kagawa
  Ehime
  Kochi
  Fukuoka
  Saga
  Nagasaki
  Kumamoto
  Oita
  Miyazaki
  Kagoshima
  Okinawa
  Korea
  China
  Thailand
  United Kingdom
  Germany
  Switzerland
  France
  Belgium
  Netherlands
  Sweden
  Norway
  United States of America
Note
Includes bibliographical references (p.[195]-218) and index
Size of pbk.: 22 cm
Description and Table of Contents
- Volume
-
: hard ISBN 9780691122250
Description
Design pervades our lives. Everything from drafting a PowerPoint presentation to planning a state-of-the-art bridge embodies this universal human activity. But what makes a great design? In this compelling and wide-ranging look at the essence of invention, distinguished engineer and author Henry Petroski argues that, time and again, we have built success on the back of failure - not through easy imitation of success. "Success through Failure" shows us that making something better - by carefully anticipating and thus averting failure - is what invention and design are all about. Petroski explores the nature of invention and the character of the inventor through an unprecedented range of both everyday and extraordinary examples - illustrated lectures, child-resistant packaging for drugs, national constitutions, medical devices, the world's tallest skyscrapers, long-span bridges, and more.
Stressing throughout that there is no surer road to eventual failure than modeling designs solely on past successes, he sheds new light on spectacular failures, from the destruction of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge in 1940 and the space shuttle disasters of recent decades, to the collapse of the World Trade Center in 2001. Petroski also looks at the prehistoric and ancient roots of many modern designs. The historical record, especially as embodied in failures, reveals patterns of human social behavior that have implications for large structures like bridges and vast organizations like NASA. "Success through Failure" - which will fascinate anyone intrigued by design, including engineers, architects, and designers themselves - concludes by speculating on when we can expect the next major bridge failure to occur, and the kind of bridge most likely to be involved.
Table of Contents
Preface ix Introduction 1 Chapter 1: From Plato's Cave to PowerPoint 10 Chapter 2: Success and Failure in Design 44 Chapter 3: Intangible Things 81 Chapter 4: Things Small and Large 97 Chapter 5: Building on Success 116 Chapter 6: Stepping-stones to Super-spans 139 Chapter 7: The Historical Future 163 Notes 195 Index 219
- Volume
-
: pbk ISBN 9780691136424
Description
Design pervades our lives. Everything from drafting a PowerPoint presentation to planning a state-of-the-art bridge embodies this universal human activity. But what makes a great design? In this compelling and wide-ranging look at the essence of invention, distinguished engineer and author Henry Petroski argues that, time and again, we have built success on the back of failure--not through easy imitation of success. Success through Failure shows us that making something better--by carefully anticipating and thus averting failure--is what invention and design are all about. Petroski explores the nature of invention and the character of the inventor through an unprecedented range of both everyday and extraordinary examples--illustrated lectures, child-resistant packaging for drugs, national constitutions, medical devices, the world's tallest skyscrapers, long-span bridges, and more.
Stressing throughout that there is no surer road to eventual failure than modeling designs solely on past successes, he sheds new light on spectacular failures, from the destruction of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge in 1940 and the space shuttle disasters of recent decades, to the collapse of the World Trade Center in 2001. Petroski also looks at the prehistoric and ancient roots of many modern designs. The historical record, especially as embodied in failures, reveals patterns of human social behavior that have implications for large structures like bridges and vast organizations like NASA. Success through Failure--which will fascinate anyone intrigued by design, including engineers, architects, and designers themselves--concludes by speculating on when we can expect the next major bridge failure to occur, and the kind of bridge most likely to be involved.
Table of Contents
Preface ix Introduction 1 Chapter 1: From Plato's Cave to PowerPoint 10 Chapter 2: Success and Failure in Design 44 Chapter 3: Intangible Things 81 Chapter 4: Things Small and Large 97 Chapter 5: Building on Success 116 Chapter 6: Stepping-stones to Super-spans 139 Chapter 7: The Historical Future 163 Notes 195 Index 219
by "Nielsen BookData"