I just finished reading “The Atomic Chef” and found it difficult to put down. I simply couldn’t resist finding out what unexpected consequence or turn of events was around the next corner.

This is an absolute must read if you are in any way involved with the development of new products or services. Sometimes things don’t go as planned despite everyone’s best efforts. Like the bumper sticker says, “stuff” happens. This book gets into the stuff to reveal what really happened. The author painstakingly researches and recounts the real story behind mismatches in people and technology.

If you like fairy tale endings this may not be the book for you. However, if you are interested in learning the true details behind real world events, I highly recommend the Atomic Chef. In contrast to more traditional Human Factors books or case studies, the Atomic Chef presents enjoyable and eminently readable accounts of actual events.

Little things can make a big difference; I’d recommend The Atomic Chef’s cautionary tales to any student or professional interested in learning more about the relationship between people and technology.

Buy your own copy!

Russell Kroll – Formation Design Group

Industrial Design: Materials and Manufacturing Guide, Second Edition is an instructive reference that  provides the detailed explanations of materials and manufacturing processes for industrial designers. Author Jim Lesko provides you the pragmatic knowledge required to develop a real-world understanding of materials and processes and make informed choices for industrial design projects.

The operator compartment of the Crown TSP 6000 developed by Formation in collaboration with Crown’s internal design group is featured on the book’s cover.

Buy a copy of Industrial Design: Materials and Manufacturing.

The Five Obstructions (Danish: De Fem benspænd) is a 2003 film by Lars von Trier and Jørgen Leth. The film centers around a challenge that Lars von Trier has created for his friend and mentor, Jørgen Leth, another filmmaker. von Trier’s favorite film is Leth’s The Perfect Human (1967). von Trier gives Leth the task of remaking The Perfect Human five times, each time with a different ‘obstruction’ (or obstacle) given by von Trier.

The film and Jørgen Leth’s creative response to von Trier’s challenge is inspirational. Leth uses what von Trier had intended as constraints to create a masterful series of short films. What at first appear to be insurmountable limitations are transformed by Leth into creative energy.  The Five Obstructions is the ideal prescription for creative professionals who believe their work is over constrained.