SKU: 97505242908

Success Through Failure: The Paradox of Design

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Description

Success Through Failure: The Paradox of DesignDesign 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

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.

-- "Architectural Science Review"

Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Published: 05/29/2018
ISBN: 9780691180991
Pages: 256
Weight: 0.60lbs
Size: 8.20h x 5.50w x 0.90d
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SKU: 97505242908

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Color: Dark Brown, Size: 20
I ordered the dark brown suit which my son loved. once I looked closely there seemed to be cat hair on it, it looks like it was washed as well, which caused the material to rise and become damaged.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 15, 2026
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Color: Dark Brown, Size: 16
Perfect fit for my 13 year old! The quality and color of the suit was spot on to the description.
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Swathi Panditi
Lake Worth, US
★★★★★ 3
Good but not cloth material
Color: Beige, Size: 8
Suit was good but material was kind of old fashioned. In Pictures cloth looks very different compared to in real. Fitting wise I m satisfied but not cloth material.
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Brandon C
New York, US
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Color: Brown, Size: Medium, Color: Brown, Size: Medium
Overall, great quality in suit the size was pretty good although the only thing that I wish that it had belt loops instead of an elastic band, but for the value of the money, you cannot beat that at all it looks great. It fits good. The fabric is soft and comfortable. If I could, I would buy this again definitely worth to buy.
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Gavin Robinson
Phoenix, US
★★★★★ 4
I read this 4 1/2 out of five
High-quality material the pants was a little baggy, but the jacket fit perfect
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