Thoughtless Acts? ─ Observations On Intuitive Design

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.

Jane Fulton Suri is the worldwide leader of human factors design and research for IDEO. She teaches regularly at Stanford University, UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business, and the California College of the Arts. She lives in Berkeley.

IDEO is a global innovation and design consultancy headquartered in Palo Alto, California, and has designed some of the world's best known products, services, and spaces.