--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Because every design must satisfy…" description: "\"Because every design must satisfy competing objectives, there necessarily has to be compromise among, if not the complete exclusion of, some of those o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ce/henry-petroski-10198_among_because-every-design-must-satisfy-compet_1560612.png" --- # Because every design must satisfy competing objectives… ![“Because every design must satisfy competing objectives, there necessarily has to be compromise among, if not the complete exclusion of, some of those objectives, in order to meet what are considered the more important of them.” quote by Henry Petroski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ce/henry-petroski-10198_among_because-every-design-must-satisfy-compet_1560612.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ce/henry-petroski-10198_among_because-every-design-must-satisfy-compet_1560612.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ce/henry-petroski-10198_among_because-every-design-must-satisfy-compet_1560612.png) > “Because every design must satisfy competing objectives, there necessarily has to be compromise among, if not the complete exclusion of, some of those objectives, in order to meet what are considered the more important of them.” [Henry Petroski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-petroski/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Design must balance conflicting goals, often requiring trade‑offs or eliminating some aims to prioritize the most critical. **In simple terms:** Design needs trade‑offs to meet key goals. Key Takeaway Prioritize essential objectives, accept compromises. Themes design trade‑offs prioritization engineering Mood analytical pragmatic Type technical philosophical When to use this quote - product development - urban planning - software architecture - policy making Key Concepts Systems thinking optimization constraint management Questions to Reflect On - Which objectives are truly essential? - How do you decide what to sacrifice? A Different Perspective Compromise can dilute overall quality if not managed carefully. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Among](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/among/) [Because](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/because/) [Competing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competing/) [Competing Objectives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/competing-objectives-5854165/) [Complete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complete/) [Compromise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compromise/) [Considered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/considered/) [Design](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/design/) [Every](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every/) [Exclusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exclusion/) [Exclusion Objectives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exclusion-objectives-5854167/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Meet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meet/) [More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/more/) [Must](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/must/) [Necessarily](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/necessarily/) [Necessarily Compromise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/necessarily-compromise-5854164/) [Objectives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/objectives/) [Objectives Necessarily](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/objectives-necessarily-5854166/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Satisfy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/satisfy/) [Some](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/some/) [Them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/them/) [Those](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/those/) ## Related quotes > [A draft doesn't produce the people we need to satisfy our real manpower shortage. We need specialists to keep our jets flying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-schroeder/a-draft-doesn-t-produce-the-people-we-need-to-satisfy-our-real/) [Patricia Schroeder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-schroeder/) > [There is nothing in this world that can compare with the Christian fellowship; nothing that can satisfy but Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/there-is-nothing-in-this-world-that-can-compare-with-the-christian/) [John D. Rockefeller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-rockefeller/) > [I don't write for a particular audience. I work as an artist, and I think the audience of one, which is the self, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-wilson/i-don-t-write-for-a-particular-audience-i-work-as-an-artist-and-i/) [August Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-wilson/) > [A lot of people who curate in the business, and curate the art, don't really have good artistic sense. They may know commerce, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/q-tip/a-lot-of-people-who-curate-in-the-business-and-curate-the-art-don-t/) [Q-Tip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/q-tip/) > [“Only living water satisfy the thirsty soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/only-living-water-satisfy-the-thirsty-soul/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [How much is enough to satisfy you?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mazher/how-much-is-enough-to-satisfy-you/) [Mazher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mazher/) > [Black audiences are hard. They always think they're better than you. So you got to come with a little extra to satisfy them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-mac/black-audiences-are-hard-they-always-think-they-re-better-than-you-so/) [Bernie Mac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-mac/) > [So what can satisfy me, A trailer load of money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vybz-kartel/so-what-can-satisfy-me-a-trailer-load-of-money/) [Vybz Kartel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vybz-kartel/) > [And I wana 'pologize for bein just a little freaky, I cant help it, its just in me. but a problem, it is not.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ne-yo/and-i-wana-pologize-for-bein-just-a-little-freaky-i-cant-help-it-its/) [Ne-yo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ne-yo/) > [A reality that is electronic... Once everybody's got a computer terminal in their home, to satisfy all their needs, all the domestic needs, there'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-g-ballard/a-reality-that-is-electronic-once-everybody-s-got-a-computer-terminal/) [J. G. Ballard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-g-ballard/) > [“Sex doesn't satisfy for a lifetime, the more you have it, the more you want it. And the more you have it, the more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/sex-doesn-t-satisfy-for-a-lifetime-the-more-you-have-it-the-more-you/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [Every song that I compose has to satisfy the music director in me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gopi-sundar/every-song-that-i-compose-has-to-satisfy-the-music-director-in-me/) [Gopi Sundar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gopi-sundar/) > [That human life must be some kind of mistake is sufficiently proved by the simple observation that man is a compound of needs which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/that-human-life-must-be-some-kind-of-mistake-is-sufficiently-proved/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [“Nothing will ever be enough to satisfy the black hole in our hearts.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soman-chainani/nothing-will-ever-be-enough-to-satisfy-the-black-hole-in-our-hearts/) [Soman Chainani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soman-chainani/) > [Being Unliked Is Part Of Life , You Can Never Satisfy !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deezy-da-dreadhead/being-unliked-is-part-of-life-you-can-never-satisfy/) [Deezy Da Dreadhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deezy-da-dreadhead/) ## More by Henry Petroski > [All conventional wisdom has an element of truth to it, but good design requires more than an element of truth - it requires an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-petroski/all-conventional-wisdom-has-an-element-of-truth-to-it-but-good-design/) [Henry Petroski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-petroski/) > [It is really want, rather than need, that drives the process of technological evolution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-petroski/it-is-really-want-rather-than-need-that-drives-the-process-of/) [Henry Petroski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-petroski/) > [A failed structure provides a counterexample to a hypothesis and shows us incontrovertibly what cannot be done, while a structure that stands without incident…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-petroski/a-failed-structure-provides-a-counterexample-to-a-hypothesis-and/) [Henry Petroski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-petroski/) > [Everything we do is designed, whether we're producing a magazine, a website, or a bridge. Design is really the creative invention that designs everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-petroski/everything-we-do-is-designed-whether-we-re-producing-a-magazine-a/) [Henry Petroski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-petroski/) > [I employ case studies of failure into my courses, emphasizing that they teach us much more than studies of success. It is not that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-petroski/i-employ-case-studies-of-failure-into-my-courses-emphasizing-that/) [Henry Petroski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-petroski/) > [ Whether or not science can be applied to that mental construct \[i.e. the designed entity\] is a matter of availability. If there is body… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-petroski/whether-or-not-science-can-be-applied-to-that-mental-construct-i-e/) [Henry Petroski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-petroski/) > [Failures are much more dramatic than successes, and people like drama. I think this is why automobile races draw such crowds. People expect spectacular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-petroski/failures-are-much-more-dramatic-than-successes-and-people-like-drama/) [Henry Petroski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-petroski/) > [The most amazing achievement of the computer software industry is its continuing cancellation of the steady and staggering gains made by the computer hardware…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-petroski/the-most-amazing-achievement-of-the-computer-software-industry-is-its/) [Henry Petroski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-petroski/) > [For as long as I can remember, I have been fascinated by things large and small. I wanted to know what made my watch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-petroski/for-as-long-as-i-can-remember-i-have-been-fascinated-by-things-large/) [Henry Petroski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-petroski/) > [Successful engineering is all about understanding how things break or fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-petroski/successful-engineering-is-all-about-understanding-how-things-break-or/) [Henry Petroski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-petroski/) > [The space shuttle was designed, at least in part, to broaden our knowledge of the universe. To scientists, the vehicle was a tool; to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-petroski/the-space-shuttle-was-designed-at-least-in-part-to-broaden-our/) [Henry Petroski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-petroski/) > [Because they are so humbled by their creations, engineers are naturally conservative in their expectations of technology. They know that the perfect system is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-petroski/because-they-are-so-humbled-by-their-creations-engineers-are/) [Henry Petroski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-petroski/) > [Engineering is achieving function while avoiding failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-petroski/engineering-is-achieving-function-while-avoiding-failure/) [Henry Petroski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-petroski/) > [An over-reliance on past successes is a sure blueprint for future failures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-petroski/an-over-reliance-on-past-successes-is-a-sure-blueprint-for-future/) [Henry Petroski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-petroski/) > [I was always told that I was good in mathematics, and I guess my grades and standardized test scores supported that. My worst subjects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-petroski/i-was-always-told-that-i-was-good-in-mathematics-and-i-guess-my/) [Henry Petroski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-petroski/) [Explore all 67 Henry Petroski quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-petroski/) ## More Among quotes > [My aim is to be counted among the top players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babar-azam/my-aim-is-to-be-counted-among-the-top-players/) [Babar Azam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babar-azam/) > [Regarding lack of vision or disabilities of the organ of sight, it has long been known among researchers that it is the effect of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-heindel/regarding-lack-of-vision-or-disabilities-of-the-organ-of-sight-it-has/) [Max Heindel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-heindel/) > [Most of the more celebrated names among African-American authors, poets, and artists are known to the world because of their association with specific cultural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aberjhani/most-of-the-more-celebrated-names-among-african-american-authors/) [Aberjhani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aberjhani/) > [I stated that Hiroshima and Nagasaki are 'among the most unspeakable crimes in history.' I took no position on just where they stand on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-stated-that-hiroshima-and-nagasaki-are-among-the-most-unspeakable/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I like to move among painters, mathematicians, psychologists, people who can tell me something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-woodcock/i-like-to-move-among-painters-mathematicians-psychologists-people-who/) [George Woodcock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-woodcock/) > [I've seen people be effective, even among local teams, by offering something that improves wellbeing in a small way - people who get passionate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rath/i-ve-seen-people-be-effective-even-among-local-teams-by-offering/) [Tom Rath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rath/) > [The best live among us in disguise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-dudek/the-best-live-among-us-in-disguise/) [Louis Dudek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-dudek/) > [Discord or jealousy inhibits the ability of the Holy Ghost to teach us and inhibits our ability to receive light and truth. And the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/discord-or-jealousy-inhibits-the-ability-of-the-holy-ghost-to-teach/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) > [These Americans are among the working poor with full-time jobs earning $5.15 an hour. Millions fall into this boat, even more when you consider…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcy-kaptur/these-americans-are-among-the-working-poor-with-full-time-jobs/) [Marcy Kaptur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcy-kaptur/) > [Heartless though it may seem to some, among the least harmful things to eat are sustainably culled wild animals. In the absence of natural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tristram-stuart/heartless-though-it-may-seem-to-some-among-the-least-harmful-things/) [Tristram Stuart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tristram-stuart/) > [When I campaign with seniors, it's always, 'Are you a Democrat or Republican?' But when I campaign on college campuses, they ask me where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-schock/when-i-campaign-with-seniors-it-s-always-are-you-a-democrat-or/) [Aaron Schock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-schock/) > [Among actors, I'd like to work with Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karan-soni/among-actors-i-d-like-to-work-with-alia-bhatt-and-ranbir-kapoor/) [Karan Soni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karan-soni/) > [I'm very happy to be among the best and to play with the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinicius-junior/i-m-very-happy-to-be-among-the-best-and-to-play-with-the-best/) [Vinicius Junior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinicius-junior/) > [To my mind, the main reason for the Depression in the United States as a whole, is the bondage of debt and the spirit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heber-j-grant/to-my-mind-the-main-reason-for-the-depression-in-the-united-states-as/) [Heber J. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heber-j-grant/) > [I have always been considered to be the most German among Italian economists, which I always received as a compliment, but was rarely meant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-monti/i-have-always-been-considered-to-be-the-most-german-among-italian/) [Mario Monti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-monti/) [Browse all 623 Among quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/among/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Because every design must satisfy competing objectives, there necessarily has to be compromise among, if not the complete exclusion of, some of those objectives, in order to meet what are considered the more important of them.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henry Petroski" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-petroski/because-every-design-must-satisfy-competing-objectives-there/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Among" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-petroski/because-every-design-must-satisfy-competing-objectives-there/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ce/henry-petroski-10198_among_because-every-design-must-satisfy-compet_1560612.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ce/henry-petroski-10198_among_because-every-design-must-satisfy-compet_1560612.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ce/henry-petroski-10198_among_because-every-design-must-satisfy-compet_1560612.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Because every design must satisfy competing objectives, there necessarily has to be compromise among, if not…” — Henry Petroski", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Henry Petroski", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-petroski/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Because every design must satisfy competing...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-petroski/because-every-design-must-satisfy-competing-objectives-there/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-petroski/because-every-design-must-satisfy-competing-objectives-there/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```