Inviting Disaster
This book describes the patterns of poor decision-making which led to some of the greatest disasters associated with technology usage in history. The facinating aspect and key messages of this book are the patterns of behavior which produced each situation, because such patterns occur far too frequently in many other situations. Examples are drawn from many industries, though in nearly every situation, there are plenty of warning signs and opportunities to head off the situation. The 'patterns' are demonstrated frequently by highlighting that their occurrence in 'emerging technologies' (aviation, nuclear power, and spacecraft) replicates experiences in older technologies (ships, trains, and construction). Examples include:
- Blind spots and tunnel vision
- Inattention to risks
- Information hiding
- Schedule pressures on projects
- Inadequate attention to testing
- Over-worked or incompetent people
A great read (and a good 'watch', if you can catch re-runs on the History Channel!). See the list of quotes from the book on this site.
