Post on 20-Dec-2015
Shuttle Challenger DisasterShuttle Challenger Disaster
Design Implications Homework 2
Steven Callahan
Design Implications Homework 2
Steven Callahan
January 28, 1986
Immediate CauseImmediate Cause
O-Ring failure due to low temperatures at launch (29 F)
O-Ring failure due to low temperatures at launch (29 F)
Procedural CausesProcedural Causes
Administrators “Awful consequences result when heroic
engineers are ignored by villainous administrators.”
Engineers Could not effectively communicate Easily swayed by administration
Administrators “Awful consequences result when heroic
engineers are ignored by villainous administrators.”
Engineers Could not effectively communicate Easily swayed by administration
The PresentationThe Presentation
13 Charts were prepared by Thiokol Engineers
Thiokol Managers recommended an abort NASA was unconvinced and asked to
reconsider Thiokol Managers gave the go ahead
13 Charts were prepared by Thiokol Engineers
Thiokol Managers recommended an abort NASA was unconvinced and asked to
reconsider Thiokol Managers gave the go ahead
The PresentationThe Presentation
Chart 1 Chart 1
The PresentationThe Presentation
Chart 3 Chart 3
The PresentationThe Presentation
Conclusion Conclusion
Procedural ErrorsProcedural Errors
Should be concise Should have more convincing opening and
closing statements Data should be presented is a way that can
be easily interpreted (eg., correlation is obvious)
Should be concise Should have more convincing opening and
closing statements Data should be presented is a way that can
be easily interpreted (eg., correlation is obvious)
Better PresentationBetter Presentation
Include all data in one table Include all data in one table
Tufte ‘98
Better PresentationBetter Presentation
Show correlation better Show correlation better
Tufte ‘98
ConclusionConclusion
Engineers need to learn to communicate!
Acknowledgments Visual Explanations, Edwared Tufte ‘98 Wikipedia
Engineers need to learn to communicate!
Acknowledgments Visual Explanations, Edwared Tufte ‘98 Wikipedia