Creating Breakthrough Ideas: The Collaboration of Anthropologists and Designers in the Product Development Industry [Hardcover]

Susan Squires (Editor), Bryan Byrne (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0897896823 | ISBN-13: 978-0897896825 | Publication Date: October 30, 2002

Research, design, and development firms are actively recruiting anthropologists and other social scientists, as ethnographic research becomes more central to the creation of appropriate new products, services, and marketing strategies for U.S. and global markets. To be successful designers, professionals must learn new processes, develop training programs, modify communication styles, and share their methods to make their work possible. The current volume is written by social scientists, designers, and entrepreneurs who create new products and services. They provide frank and insightful discussions about the opportunities and challenges facing researchers and designers who are learning to collaborate. The book highlights several major topics in order to focus on critical aspects of the industry's highly related features. It provides background information about ethnography, decsribes and analyzes the industry, presents case examples of working practices and discusses emerging methodology based on three fundamental kinds of projects (discovery, design, and evaluation). The book suggests ways emerging design professionals can (1) improve their own performance, (2) change the working processes of the industry itself, (3) contribute to basic ethnographic research, and (4) craft training programs for the next generation of professionals.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

SUSAN SQUIRES is Executive Director, Customer Insight Research, TACTICS, LLC, Pescadero, California.

BRYAN BYRNE is Co-Founder of Baffin Solutions Inc. in Alameda, California.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Bergin & Garvey (October 30, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0897896823
• ISBN-13: 978-0897896825
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,465,283 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great diverse read on Anthropologists and Designers, February 4, 2011

By 

Anonymous - See all my reviews

This review is from: Creating Breakthrough Ideas: The Collaboration of Anthropologists and Designers in the Product Development Industry (Hardcover)

I liked this book. The chapters were diverse and it created a good foundation understanding of how anthropology and design can work together. Although its nearly 10 years old, the book is still full of sound advice. Unfortunately, the design industry is far behind in including social science, particularly anthropology, to its stable of professionals that round out the design team. I recommend this book to designers and anthropologists and anyone who is curious about how they relate to one another. Its WAY TOO EXPENSIVE though.

0 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars nice book, February 21, 2009

By 

Qian Yang "CABBAGE" (AZ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Creating Breakthrough Ideas: The Collaboration of Anthropologists and Designers in the Product Development Industry (Hardcover)

This is required for my class and it is highly recommended by mu proffesor. I have not read it yet. but i bet it is a good book.