Small Things Considered: Why There Is No Perfect Design

Perhaps I'm naive, but I learned a lot from Petroski in this book. What is more I found it interesting enough to finish. I see some reviewers did not. I have always been curious about inventions and especially the evolution of design that lead to our modern industrial world. I was quite satisfied with the explanations and learned something about design, design constraints, and how things can be improved, and almost always are, frequently by the original inventor. The reviews are mixed here, so I guess you will just have to read it for yourself. I haven't read any of his other books, perhaps I should.

"Small things" is a small pleasure. Well done if inconsequential look at design compromises in everyday things like toothbrushes and doorknob/light switch placement. Fun look at these little things leads to serious consideration of "big" design issues.

I expected a reference manual with a TOC that lists items and then a "chapter" on each one. Instead, it is written like a book that you have to read cover-to-cover. If you are looking for a good book on engineering, this is a pretty good one. But if you are looking for a quick reference to explain how things are made, keep looking...

Advertising is based on the idea of convincing consumers that a perfect product will bring perfect happiness; Petroski offers the cold reality that since every product and service is created by humans, there is no perfect design. Petroski is an engineer. The first thing engineers learn, based on my ancient ordeal as an engineering student, is that nothing is perfect. Everything involves choices and compromises. Even when an engineer built "the one hoss shay" with such perfection that no single part would fail first, one flaw remained -- when it wore out, the whole thing collapsed instantly and completely. At first, this book annoyed me. His first example of the epitome of design is the little plastic tripod that keeps the lid of a pizza box from being crushed onto the gooey surface of the hot pizza inside. There isn't even a name for that little tripod; failing anything else, you'd think someone would name it "Sam" in honor of holding up the roof. Samson, after all, was strong, useful and not quite perfect. Yet, such is the genius of this book. He could have written about the design flaws that have caused two Space Shuttle disasters; instead, he takes everyday items we are completely familiar with and explains why these designs are less than perfect. When an author can devote half-a-chapter to the design challenges of cup holders in a 1996 Volvo and make it interesting, you know he's onto something. Understanding why a cup holder in a car falls short of a perfect design, and why chairs, lightbulbs, door knobs, potato peelers, toothbrushes, paper bags and duct tape are still works in progress, gives you an appreciation for the design flaws in a Space Shuttle and in the human organization which launches Shuttles or even those which run the "intelligence" agencies. Only TV sitcoms and dramas offer "perfect" solutions -- which, in itself, is the major flaw of television. Newspapers are sometimes called "a journal to expose the faults of the world and the typogarphical errors of its staff." The humour is barbed, but true. Petroski takes that idea a major leap forward, showing us in everyday terms why everything human's design is less than perfect. On that basis, he asks for an acceptance of the inevitable flaws of technology. On the same basis, this book will give any thoughtful reader an appreciation of why everything is somewhat less than perfect, and thus all people should be ready to accept the inevitable flaws of others.