Success Through Failure: The Paradox of Design.SUCCESS THROUGH FAILURE: The Paradox paradox, statement that appears self-contradictory but actually has a basis in truth, e.g., Oscar Wilde's "Ignorance is like a delicate fruit; touch it and the bloom is gone. of Design HENRY PETROSKI The best new designs grow out of failed old designs, writes Petroski. A professor of civil engineering and history, he explores how anticipation and avoidance of failure lie at the core of design of objects from laser pointers A laser pointer is a portable, pen-sized laser designed to be held in the hand, and most commonly used to project a point of light to highlight items of interest during a presentation. to bridges. In the course of daily life, consumers experience and accept minor failures such as the occasionally frozen personal computer. Other failures, such as medicine bottles too easy for children to open, can lead to the abandonment of a product in favor of upon the side of; favorable to; for the advantage of. See also: favor a new design. Petroski explores the role of testing in the development of designs, stressing that even the most-tested objects aren't immune from failure. He warns that given the ever-present threat of design failure of things large and small, engineers must never be complacent com·pla·cent adj. 1. Contented to a fault; self-satisfied and unconcerned: He had become complacent after years of success. 2. Eager to please; complaisant. . Princeton, 2006, 235 p., b&w images, hardcover, $22.95. |
|
||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion