SKU: 97505242908

Success Through Failure: The Paradox of Design

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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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Chelsea, US
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Buy it you'll love it. You'll realize that you really needed it
Color: Black
Size is perfect for rag, scrubber sponges soap. It's very sturdy love that the block on bottom dryies up all the liquid it's absolutely amazing. It's very convenient, love the way you can organize everything. I'm the kind of person I have to have everything organized that's the way I grew up. I have not seen any signs of rust no where. Highly recommend. It is very very nice.
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Funcional but smaller than I thought
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I liked it and it replaces something around the kitchen sink that was constantly dripping liquid soap dish into the sink making a mess! This new organizes items much better. It's smaller than I envisioned and wish it came with it's own soap bottles dispensers but I found two small ones placing them side by side and it works. Did not use the metal divider. I cannot tell yet the drying speed of the sliding out stone. It's functional at keeping everything hands reach and organized around the kitchen sink.
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Janet
Lowell, US
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Really Nice! Its really cute. And it actually does soak up the water and drys fast. I was amazed. Holds just the right amount of things for what you would need. I'm happy with my purchase! ☺️ Nice to get the thing you expected!
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Carmen C.
Fort Morgan, US
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Nice sink caddy
Color: Gold, Color: Gold
It was exactly as described- looks nice on my counter. I haven’t bought the scrub brush I want yet to put in the taller space but it def dries fast anytime water gets on it. I like the look on my counter space. It’s not flimsy, I like the color of the gold.
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Birmingham, US
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Effective!!
Color: Black, Color: Black
This caddy keeps my sink organized. It absorbs the water when I place my sponges on it and its super easy to keep clean. I squeeze as much waster as I can from the sponges so it doesn't wear out. I've had this a little under a year and it has held up exceptionally well.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2026

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