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. Stressing throughout that there is no surer road to eventual failure than modeling designs solely on past successes, Petroski 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.