How to Sink a $3B Dollar Submarine: Leave a Hatch Open

inetsee 3 years ago | |

Yes, people do make mistakes; often. Airline pilots have long checklists of things they have to do before taking off, and more checklists for dealing with problems that inevitably crop up.

A doctor named Atul Gawande wrote a book named The Checklist Manifesto https://www.amazon.com/Checklist-Manifesto-How-Things-Right/...

Early in his career he did some research that showed that a simple pre-surgery checklist could reduce serious complications by more than a third. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/dr-atul-gawande-surgical...

alpaca128 3 years ago | |

Sure, but that's why modern cars have sensors and warnings when you accidentally leave a door open or don't use the seatbelt.

If leaving a hatch open causes one year of repairs and it contains a nuclear reactor maybe some automated sensors or checklists would be quite sensible.

eternityforest 3 years ago | |

Human error that can be easily predicted and fixed with tech is kind of a design issue though. Shouldn't those all have sensors on them to stop this? People use Google calendar to remember what day is Mother's day, submarines can do the same.

Really all human error that has happened before is predictable. My rule for myself is to assume any mistake I've ever made, or imagined making, is possible.

_tom_ 3 years ago | |

My car will not start in gear, nor will it start without a foot on the brake.

Understanding and preventing human error is a basic part of design. Especially for things that cost $3B.

lostlogin 3 years ago | |

When it’s a nuclear submarine and cost nearly $3 billion, you aren’t allowed to make mistakes of this magnitude. It really is that simple.

rsaesha 3 years ago | | |

If a $3 bi product relies on not allowing people to make mistakes then their owner isn't allowed to complain when it inevitably fails.

JoeAltmaier 3 years ago | | |

I suggest reviewing the history of lost submarines, for perspective.

lostlogin 3 years ago | | |

I’ve read many of them.

I suspect we are coming at the same thing from different angles.

You can’t have a culture that tolerates accidents like this, so get some systems in place to prevent them. It’s not about one person or piece of equipment. Swiss cheese model etc.

tharkun__ 3 years ago | | |

You said something quite different sounding than here. Here you mention systems to prevent mistakes. Your original post said

    you aren’t allowed to make mistakes of this magnitude. It really is that simple.

That does not mention prevention systems and instead put the blame squarely on the person making the mistake. They "simply should not have made the mistake, duh!"

lostlogin 3 years ago | | |

Someone has allowed some crap systems to exist by the time something like this happens.

You’re right that my initial post makes it sound like I blame one person, and I do. However it isn’t just the person who didn’t close the hatch. I blame the whole command structure and particularly those at the top of it.

mistrial9 3 years ago | |

flagrent apologist

JoeAltmaier 3 years ago | | |

For humans, sure. Because we're all human. Hyperbole about perfect people is, what? Flagrant fantasy?