THOUGHTLESS ACTS?Observations on Intuitive Design

Jane Fulton Suri and IDEO

Thoughtless Acts? is a primer in the observation method that keeps IDEO's 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. A collection of dozens of (often humorous) snapshots capturing such fleeting adaptations and minor exploitations, Thoughtless Acts? provides a privileged peek at how IDEO creates the people-friendly products, services, and spaces for which they are so widely recognized.

2005 / 192 pp / 100 color / 978-0-8118-4775-9 / hc / $29.95