Thoughtless Acts?: Observations on Intuitive Design
 

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Thoughtless Acts?: Observations on Intuitive Design

by Chronicle Books

$29.95
buy from amazon.com
Average Rating: * * * * -
Sales Rank:1018484 (lower is better)
Price Used:$23.60
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Label:Chronicle Books
Pages:192
Binding:Hardcover
Publication Date:2005-03-30
Published By:Chronicle Books
ASIN:B000W903YC
Category:Book

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Editorial Reviews and Product Descriptions

Product Description

From IDEO, the global innovation and design firm responsible for such landmark products as Apple's first computer mouse, comes a primer in the observation method that keeps their practice human-centered and ever ingenious. People unconsciously perform ultraordinary actions every day, from throwing a jacket over a chair back to claim the seat, or placing something in the teeth when all hands are full. These "thoughtless acts" reveal the subtle but crucial ways people behave in a world not always perfectly tailored to their needs. Thoughtless Acts? is a collection of dozens of (often humorous) snapshots capturing such fleeting adaptations and minor exploitations. This method of observation demonstrates the kind of common-sense approach that can inspire designers and anyone involved in creative endeavors. Thoughtless Acts? is a privileged peek at how IDEO creates the people-friendly products, services, and spaces for which they are so widely recognized.

Customer Reviews

Primer on the power of observation - Reviewed on 2008-09-15
* * * *

This was a good overview/introduction to leveraging observational research in design and innovation thinking, not an in-depth treatise on process nor a how-to instruction manual. Reading the negative reviews, I somewhat agree that there could be more "meat" in the book, or that the author could have positioned the insights/questions with the photos to create a more usable work. However, I realized that perhaps it was intentional that the observational photos were positioned without explanation in the first half of the book, with narrative in the back. That's how observations typically happen, relying on each one's personal reflection and evaluation first, unskewed by external opinion. I appreciated this book as an inspiration to tune into the obvious around us and by capturing the everyday, learn to gain insight into it's ability to shape the creation of future things. Good stuff.
Think about it - Reviewed on 2008-07-12
* * * * *

A book that makes you aware instead of being in automatic pilot. Sit in a restaurant, at a park, or simply on a bus and start thinking about this book and how people behave. Great for account planners.
author could have improved overall - Reviewed on 2007-11-24
* *
2 customers found this review helpful.

Overall concept is interesting. What we observe, how we are conditioned, how we respond to our environment but quality of book could have been taking further. Instead of being paperback size, it could have been a larger coffee table book with higher quality photos to illustrate points. Rather than having to refer to back of book to understand why image was included, it should have been on the same page as the picture.
You have got to be kidding - Reviewed on 2006-12-19
*
16 customers found this review helpful, 5 did not.

Yet another lousy book by IDEO. The whole book is nothing but photos. The title "Observations on Intuitive Design" implies to me that they are Jane Fultons observations. Sadly they are not. They are YOUR observations from looking at the pictures. And I paid for this. No written content (to speak of). I'll save you some money; take your camera into a supermarket, a compusa, and a walmart and snap away. Then go home and review them. Done and I saved you some cash. The arrogance of these guys. They slap their name (IDEO) on a collage and call it observations?
Great Book! - Reviewed on 2006-02-18
* * * * *
1 customer found this review helpful, 9 did not.

Excellent book that illustrate the little things that miss our senses and observation day in day out.

Opens up a world of thought for everyone around, expecially designers.
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