Click on a thumbnail to go to Google Books.
|
Loading... Small Things Considered: Why There Is No Perfect Design (2003)by Henry Petroski
   None No current Talk conversations about this book.   ) kslade | Dec 8, 2022 |   ) Chris177 | Jun 26, 2009 | I usually read "deeper" design books but this is a refreshing read because it concentrates on design in its simplest form--away from the digital and mechanical. Every chapter essentially tells a story of the evolution of different products. Though, I did disagree with some of his assessments of "what" design is. For instance, one chapter he explains the act of eating out with a group at a restaurant as being a design choice. I completely disagree as this has more to do with simple decision-making more appropriately described by anthropology, sociology and psychology. This particular chapter I felt could have been omitted altogether. Otherwise a very entertaining read. (  ) cmbeck82 | Jun 19, 2007 | no reviews | add a review
Why has the durable paper shopping bag been largely replaced by its flimsy plastic counterpart? What circuitous chain of improvements led to such innovations as the automobile cup holder and the swiveling vegetable peeler? With the same relentless curiosity and lucid, witty prose he brought to his earlier books, Henry Petroski looks at some of our most familiar objects and reveals that they are, in fact, works in progress. For there can never be an end to the quest for the perfect design. To illustrate his thesis, Petroski tells the story of the paper drinking cup, which owes its popularity to the discovery that water glasses could carry germs. He pays tribute to the little plastic tripod that keeps pizza from sticking to the box and analyzes the numerical layouts of telephones and handheld calculators. Small Things Considered is Petroski at his most trenchant and provocative, casting his eye not only on everyday artifacts but on their users as well. No library descriptions found. |
Current DiscussionsNonePopular covers
 Google Books — Loading...GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)620.0042Technology Engineering and allied operations Engineering General Engineering Special Topics DesignLC ClassificationRatingAverage: (3.35)
Is this you?Become a LibraryThing Author. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wikipedia in English (1)
4