This unique book will open your eyes to effective and stimulating formulas for solving problems. Discover how techniques developed in specialized disciplines can be applied to almost any business, social, or personal situation.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
38 of 38 people found the following review helpful
By Jim Maxwell
Format:Paperback
I stumbled across this book in a bookstore in 1971, shortly after it was initially published. It has been, and continues to be, one of the most important books I have ever read.
It is true that the UT is a tremendous aid in unlocking a creative spirit necessary to various design problem situations. But the real power of the book is to be found when it is applied to all aspects of one's life in general. This is due to the fact that, for those more philosophically minded, The Universal Traveler method embodies a "moderate realist" approach to reality. In the process of solving problems, or improving situations as Koberg and Bagnall term it, you can make tremendous discoveries regarding both the structure of reality and, most important, the character of your self.
Should you choose to purchase and use this book, I would like to offer you some advice: read the book twice and then use it exactly as Koberg and Bagnall suggest. Start with small and limited projects and develop your understanding of the method before you move on to bigger and more complex ones. ** You will only unlock the power of this work by using the method. "" And, lastly, I would highly recommend you find one of the early editions, 1971 to 1976. There was a magic in the early work that seems to have been lost in the more "improved" editions.
I would like to thank publicly both Don Koberg and Jim Bagnall for having written this book. I can state without hesitation that it ranks among the top 10 books I have ever read. I use the UT process/method daily. As I have said over the years to the countless people to whom I have recommended this book, " . . . it is worth its weight in gold."
Happy Traveling!
It is true that the UT is a tremendous aid in unlocking a creative spirit necessary to various design problem situations. But the real power of the book is to be found when it is applied to all aspects of one's life in general. This is due to the fact that, for those more philosophically minded, The Universal Traveler method embodies a "moderate realist" approach to reality. In the process of solving problems, or improving situations as Koberg and Bagnall term it, you can make tremendous discoveries regarding both the structure of reality and, most important, the character of your self.
Should you choose to purchase and use this book, I would like to offer you some advice: read the book twice and then use it exactly as Koberg and Bagnall suggest. Start with small and limited projects and develop your understanding of the method before you move on to bigger and more complex ones. ** You will only unlock the power of this work by using the method. "" And, lastly, I would highly recommend you find one of the early editions, 1971 to 1976. There was a magic in the early work that seems to have been lost in the more "improved" editions.
I would like to thank publicly both Don Koberg and Jim Bagnall for having written this book. I can state without hesitation that it ranks among the top 10 books I have ever read. I use the UT process/method daily. As I have said over the years to the countless people to whom I have recommended this book, " . . . it is worth its weight in gold."
Happy Traveling!
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
By Designer
Format:Paperback
I was introduced to the Universal Traveler while studying architecture during the 1970's. Over the past thirty years this book has pulled me out of creative ruts on numerous occasions. Whenever you become become bogged down during a design problem, take your mind off the issues and flip through the Univeral Traveler. The Traveler will re-equip you with fresh ideas to redefine your problem or question your approach. When you put the book down, you will be back on your design journey with renewed energy. I highly recommend this book.
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I first read this book in 1979. Since then I've successfully used many of its techniques in my job as a research engineer. Recently I was asked by an intern how I was able to think so creatively. I told her about the book and assumed it was long out of print. I'm delighted to see it is still available. I highly recommend this book. For me it has stood the test of time.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I rate this in the top 3 books I have ever read. I ran across this as graduate assistant and taught problem solving class structured around it. The design process it teaches underpins all human endeavors. It is useful to think of everything in our culture as a design, i.e., a response to a problem, a solution. Our task in innovation is to manage cycles of creation and destruction, the warp and woof of adaptation and innovation. In my mind, this book has no peer in empowering one to navigate this space.
If I controlled the world, design process would be taught right along side of reading, writing, math and science. Design is the overarching, integrative, unifying thought process needed to plow through the many muddles of our contemporary era. We don't need ideology, we need design methodology (for everyone).
Read this book and take it seriously. Apply it to your life and profession. It will open your eyes to new possibilities, and empower you to find an approach to difficult challenges. You will no longer think in nouns, but more in verbs. There are no solutions, only solutioning. Understanding this is liberating.
This book, if you really get it, is tranformational. When I taught these methods, the "A" students rebelled, wanting me to provide the same old fixed star answers so that they might report them back to me on tests. The smartest students, not "A" students, were ignited by the prospect of "answering", rather than being furnished the answers. Design process is the management of "answering", while understanding that the answers will never be perfect and must be tuned and tinkered along the way.
Become a life designer, not a solution subscriber. Get this book. It has been pivotal in my life. Perhaps the most important book I ever read.... Read more ›
If I controlled the world, design process would be taught right along side of reading, writing, math and science. Design is the overarching, integrative, unifying thought process needed to plow through the many muddles of our contemporary era. We don't need ideology, we need design methodology (for everyone).
Read this book and take it seriously. Apply it to your life and profession. It will open your eyes to new possibilities, and empower you to find an approach to difficult challenges. You will no longer think in nouns, but more in verbs. There are no solutions, only solutioning. Understanding this is liberating.
This book, if you really get it, is tranformational. When I taught these methods, the "A" students rebelled, wanting me to provide the same old fixed star answers so that they might report them back to me on tests. The smartest students, not "A" students, were ignited by the prospect of "answering", rather than being furnished the answers. Design process is the management of "answering", while understanding that the answers will never be perfect and must be tuned and tinkered along the way.
Become a life designer, not a solution subscriber. Get this book. It has been pivotal in my life. Perhaps the most important book I ever read.... Read more ›
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Universal Traveler is a must read for anyone that wants some assistance figuring out how to get from here to there in your life. I also recommend their sequel, Values Tech.
This was one of three books I sent my daughter off to college with. Universal Traveler, Nomadic Furniture and Champagne Living on a Beer Budget. She did pretty good, got through school fairly well and is off on her career.
I used this one in virtually every design and consulting project or creative process for over thirty years.
This was one of three books I sent my daughter off to college with. Universal Traveler, Nomadic Furniture and Champagne Living on a Beer Budget. She did pretty good, got through school fairly well and is off on her career.
I used this one in virtually every design and consulting project or creative process for over thirty years.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By SHARAD
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
While there are many reviews on this book already, Here are my two cents.
The Universal traveller is a book about ways and methods to get inspired, How to turn inspiration into idea's, and how to then moake those ideas a reality. It even goes beyond that, its kind of a 'design process for life' book.
This book is a must read for you if you want to stimulate your mind, it doesnt matter who you are or what you may be doing, this book has something for you.A must read for Design students in particular, if possible get your own copy.
If there is one book I would reccomend to anyone in the field of problem solving (we all are in some way), then this would be it.
The Universal traveller is a book about ways and methods to get inspired, How to turn inspiration into idea's, and how to then moake those ideas a reality. It even goes beyond that, its kind of a 'design process for life' book.
This book is a must read for you if you want to stimulate your mind, it doesnt matter who you are or what you may be doing, this book has something for you.A must read for Design students in particular, if possible get your own copy.
If there is one book I would reccomend to anyone in the field of problem solving (we all are in some way), then this would be it.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Classic Design Resource
This book was recommended to me by an architectural pratitioner/futurist for a Design Futures class that I am taking this summer (2013). Read more
Published 2 days ago by Breauxjw
5.0 out of 5 stars
The keystone for my design and art careers
While in college at 40 years of age, I wanted to become a designer and found this book in the early 70's. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Mrs. Pearle G. Mintz
5.0 out of 5 stars
Its influence is still felt in my life
All people have problems in life that should be solved. But most of us have an intuitive approach to solving the problem and neglecting the analytical component that is perhaps... Read more
Published 7 months ago by Nenad Stevanovic
5.0 out of 5 stars
Thinking outside the box
This is a classic that may help you thinking outside the box and improve general design skills. It is a concise and easy to read book.
Published 11 months ago by Luciano A.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Book on Creative Problem Solving
This is a classic book on creative problem solving. I bought my first edition in 1972. I was excited to see it's still in print. Read more
Published on January 18, 2011 by R. Ball
5.0 out of 5 stars
Universal Traveler BEST VERSION
This UPDATED CLASSIC EDITION is one of the BEST DESIGN PROCESS BOOKS I use as a Design Professor. This book was first introduced to me by my wonderful professors as an... Read more
Published on September 29, 2008 by robert
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 3
books:
1
book
cites this book:
- Applied Imagination: Principles and Procedures of Creative Problem-Solving 3rd Edition by Alex F. Osborn on page 68
- Design Methods: Seeds of Human Futures by John Chris Jones on page 28
- Systems Thinking, Systems Practice: Includes a 30-Year Retrospective by Peter Checkland on page 28
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