Perfect Mess

A Perfect Mess: The Hidden Benefits of Disorder--How Crammed Closets, Cluttered Offices, and On-the-Fly Planning Make the World a Better Place, by Eric Abrahamson and David H. Freedman.

ISBN 0316114758

Summary: The effort and expense put towards formally organizing and ordering our lives and world don't give us the benefits expected -- in business terms, a bad ROI and poor outcomes in a cost/benefit analysis. This is especially when we pay hundreds or thousands to an organizational or efficiency expert to "fix" us. On the contrary, mess, clutter, and disorder have unexpected benefits and (anecdotally) proven positive influences on our experiences.

Ponder that next time you want to "clean up" the wiki!

Ironic that in the 5 days since I created this page it has already been subject to changes merely for the sake of appearance, without significant content or meaning. First, the title of the book was italicized, authors added, and the page categorized. Then Anon came along and reformatted, then the sharkbot reversed that reformatting. People can't leave a PerfectMess well enough alone, I suppose. --StevenNewton

It has to do with the normal presentation form for books which has existed on this wiki for years.

The Title, With Spaces (Not a WikiWord), as it appears on the cover, italicized. Followed by the author or authors in normal text. Next the image of the cover is displayed, followed by the ISBN on a separate line. Then follows a short description or quote, serving as a short summary of what the book is about.

I disagree with the position that: "mess, clutter, and disorder have unexpected benefits and (anecdotally) proven positive influences on our experiences" and that the continuance of a presentation norm, even when it is on a book about messes, is not a commentary on the book, but rather the continuation of a normal practice.

-- DonaldNoyes 20070719

CategoryBook