Name: The Evolution of Useful Things
ISBN: 9780679740391

At a Glance

Why This Clicks

Everyday Design

Ordinary objects become quietly absorbing when you ask why they look and work as they do.

Come here for

Design stories hiding in forks, paper clips, and tape
Irritation as an unlikely engine of invention

Expect

Close attention to familiar artifacts and their small design choices
A fresh way to think about technological change

Book Details

Authors: Henry Petroski
Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
Published: February 1, 1994
Format: Print & ebook
Theme: Product Design · Human-Computer Interaction
Reading lane: Product Design

Affinity

Publisher Categories

Antiques & Collectibles
World History
Product Design

About This Book

How did the table fork acquire a fourth tine? What advantage does the Phillips-head screw have over its single-grooved predecessor? Why does the paper clip look the way it does? What makes Scotch tape Scotch? In this delightful book Henry, Petroski takes a microscopic look at artifacts that most of us count on but rarely contemplate, including such icons of the everyday as pins, Post-its, and fast-food "clamshell" containers. At the same time, he offers a convincing new theo...

Read full description

How did the table fork acquire a fourth tine? What advantage does the Phillips-head screw have over its single-grooved predecessor? Why does the paper clip look the way it does? What makes Scotch tape Scotch? In this delightful book Henry, Petroski takes a microscopic look at artifacts that most of us count on but rarely contemplate, including such icons of the everyday as pins, Post-its, and fast-food "clamshell" containers. At the same time, he offers a convincing new theory of technological innovation as a response to the perceived failures of existing products—suggesting that irritation, and not necessity, is the mother of invention.