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Understanding System Failures.
216p paperback, many illustrations, an excellent copy, like new
Paperback
First published January 15, 1988
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 11, 2019
I have graded this book rather harshly which may be unfair, but it reflects what little I got from the book and how little I enjoyed it. I wanted to get a better understanding of failure, (one of those whimsical things I am prone to wanting), and a friend has this book so I borrowed it. It was written in the 1980s as the text for an academic course. I did not do the course, and it is possible that if I had I would have got more out of the book.
This reads like an old academic book - a long winded style that makes it dull to read. Perhaps if I had been reading it in 1984 when my edition was published I would have given it higher marks as I suspect many of my original degree texts were equally dull. It's an odd book as well in that two thirds are case studies of failures, and then the remainder third provides models to understand failures but does not really apply those models to the failures described in the book.
The only interesting point for me was how widely the book categorises failures. There are the normal failures of a disastrous sort (e.g. Three Mile Island, plane failures etc), but there are also things like labour relations, economic and political policy failure which has the potential to make it all more interesting. Unfortunately, that potential was never really met.
I can't say I've learnt nothing, so not 1 star. But not much, so only 2. Frankly, I found it quite hard to concentrate on the text a lot of the time. It might have been I would have gained more insight if it had been even a modicum more engaging.
This reads like an old academic book - a long winded style that makes it dull to read. Perhaps if I had been reading it in 1984 when my edition was published I would have given it higher marks as I suspect many of my original degree texts were equally dull. It's an odd book as well in that two thirds are case studies of failures, and then the remainder third provides models to understand failures but does not really apply those models to the failures described in the book.
The only interesting point for me was how widely the book categorises failures. There are the normal failures of a disastrous sort (e.g. Three Mile Island, plane failures etc), but there are also things like labour relations, economic and political policy failure which has the potential to make it all more interesting. Unfortunately, that potential was never really met.
I can't say I've learnt nothing, so not 1 star. But not much, so only 2. Frankly, I found it quite hard to concentrate on the text a lot of the time. It might have been I would have gained more insight if it had been even a modicum more engaging.
September 26, 2022
If you like drawing inspiration from case studies, this book is a rich source from some high-profile disasters. Even though you might not be working in a Nuclear Power Plant or on a floating platform, you'll see the patterns and cultural signs that precede catastrophe.
Probably the biggest predictor of safety is culture, so if you want to read more look out for Ron Westrum's classifications and anything on psychological safety.
Probably the biggest predictor of safety is culture, so if you want to read more look out for Ron Westrum's classifications and anything on psychological safety.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews