Unexpected Consequences: Why The Things We Trust Fail : Why The Things We Trust Fail

The world is full of wonderful products and services that occasionally disappoint and even harm us. __Unexpected Consequences: Why The Things We Trust Fail__ explores the reasons these failures occur, examining them from technological, human, and organizational perspectives. Using more than 40 recent catastrophic events to illustrate its points, the book discusses structural and machine failure, but also the often-overlooked failure of people and of systems related to such things as information technology, healthcare, and security. As the book demonstrates, faulty technology played a surprisingly small part in many of the scrutinized disasters. Author James William Martin finds cognitive factors and organizational dynamics, including ethics, are major contributors to most unexpected and catastrophic failures causing loss of life and extensive property damage. With that fresh perspective in mind, Martin is able to suggest remedies that address service failure and just may help prevent future disasters from taking place. In this book, interrelationships between more than 40 recent catastrophic events are explored, discussing failures of structures and machines, information technology, regulatory agencies, security designs, and more.The world is full of wonderful products and services that occasionally disappoint and even harm us. Unexpected Consequences: Why The Things We Trust Fail explores the reasons these failures occur, examining them from technological, human, and organizational perspectives. Using more than 40 recent catastrophic events to illustrate its points, the book discusses structural and machine failure, but also the often-overlooked failure of people and of systems related to such things as information technology, healthcare, and security. As the book demonstrates, faulty technology played a surprisingly small part in many of the scrutinized disasters. Author James William Martin finds cognitive factors and organizational dynamics, including ethics, are major contributors to most unexpected and catastrophic failures causing loss of life and extensive property damage. With that fresh perspective in mind, Martin is able to suggest remedies that address service failure and just may help prevent future disasters from taking place. In this book, interrelationships between more than 40 recent catastrophic events are explored, discussing failures of structures and machines, information technology, regulatory agencies, security designs, and more. The world is full of wonderful products and services that occasionally disappoint and even harm us. Unexpected Why The Things We Trust Fail explores the reasons these failures occur, examining them from technological, human, and organizational perspectives. Using more than 40 recent catastrophic events to illustrate its points, the book discusses structural and machine failure, but also the often-overlooked failure of people and of systems related to such things as information technology, healthcare, and security. As the book demonstrates, faulty technology played a surprisingly small part in many of the scrutinized disasters. Author James William Martin finds cognitive factors and organizational dynamics, including ethics, are major contributors to most unexpected and catastrophic failures causing loss of life and extensive property damage. With that fresh perspective in mind, Martin is able to suggest remedies that address service failure and just may help prevent future disasters from taking place. Table of Contents......Page 6 Preface......Page 8 Introduction......Page 16 1. Designing Products and Services Is a Process......Page 32 2. Behavior Influences the Design Process......Page 70 3. Universal Principles for Good Design......Page 102 4. Successful Designs Depend on Organizational Culture......Page 136 5. The Reasons Why the Things We Trust Fail......Page 168 6. Catastrophic Failures Have Common Causes......Page 202 7. Rethinking Unexpected Consequences......Page 246 Conclusion......Page 278 C......Page 298 E......Page 299 O......Page 300 P......Page 301 S......Page 302 V......Page 303 B......Page 304 C......Page 305 E......Page 306 F......Page 307 K......Page 308 O......Page 309 S......Page 310 Z......Page 311 About the Author......Page 312 Table of Contents 6 Preface 8 Introduction 16 1. Designing Products and Services Is a Process 32 2. Behavior Influences the Design Process 70 3. Universal Principles for Good Design 102 4. Successful Designs Depend on Organizational Culture 136 5. The Reasons Why the Things We Trust Fail 168 6. Catastrophic Failures Have Common Causes 202 7. Rethinking Unexpected Consequences 246 Conclusion 278 Glossary 298 A 298 B 298 C 298 D 299 E 299 F 300 G 300 I 300 J 300 K 300 L 300 M 300 N 300 O 300 P 301 R 302 S 302 T 303 U 303 V 303 Index 304 A 304 B 304 C 305 D 306 E 306 F 307 G 308 H 308 I 308 K 308 L 309 M 309 N 309 O 309 P 310 Q 310 R 310 S 310 T 311 U 311 V 311 W 311 Z 311 About the Author 312 In This Book, Interrelationships Between More Than 40 Recent Catastrophic Events Are Explored, Discussing Failures Of Structures And Machines, Information Technology, Regulatory Agencies, Security Designs, And More. Designing Products And Services Is A Process -- Behavior Influences The Design Process -- Universal Principles For Good Design -- Successful Designs Depend On Organizational Culture -- Why The Things We Trust Fail -- Catastrophic Failures Have Common Causes -- Rethinking Unexpected Consequences. James William Martin. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. "The world is full of wonderful products and services that occasionally disappoint and even harm us. Unexpected consequences: why the things we trust fail explores the reasons these failures occur, examining them from technological, human, and organizational perspectives. Using more than 40 recent catastrophic events to illustrate its points, the book discusses structural and machine failure, but also the often-overlooked failure of people and systems related to such things as information technology, healthcare, and security."--Publisher's description In this book, interrelationships between more than 40 recent catastrophic events are explored, discussing failures of structures and machines, information technology, regulatory agencies, security designs, and more. Hurricane Katrina and the 2010 earthquake in Haiti were natural disasters, but their effects were exacerbated by human failures. Likewise, the BP oil spill was caused, in part, by faulty technology, but also by the failure of safety protocols