To Engineer Is Human(1992) Henry Petroski
In this book Petroski presents failure as an inseparable companion of the engineer’s activity. Designing or constructing have always been activities in which the engineer has had to prevent failure. However, Petroski restores failure to its status as a feature of Engineering and inseparably linked to its progress.
The book includes a series of examples of design failures – such as the walkways of the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Kansas – and how these have helped to clarify the steps of the design process, such as the tireless search for errors or the concept of safety factor. Similarly, it includes success stories.
Perhaps the most interesting contribution of the book is to draw attention to the fact that Engineering failure is one of the most important sources of Engineering learning and improvement. Failure can be attributed to an individual or a small group of engineers, but the improvements derived from that failure, thanks to the modern scientific method, are shared with the entire Engineering community. In some cases, such as the aviation industry, it can be stated that the rigorous study of the causes of accidents has been one of the most important factors in becoming the safest means of transportation.
It is worth reflecting on the fact that Engineering can convey to the rest of the society the misleading image of a false omnipotence, that provides absolute safety. However, as the book describes, absolute safety does not exist. Considering Petroski’s text, it is important for engineering to convey to society as a whole that its work is not risk-free. In fact, perhaps Engineering is nothing more than risk management and a restricted acceptance of possible failure. It is these failures, as the author states, that can teach us the most. Being reconciled to mistakes (such as those associated with the use of computers) is a very beneficial attitude for the practicing engineer, but above all it is a very valuable lesson for the young engineer or engineering student
Juan José Jorquera-Lucerga
Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena
Petroski, Henry. To Engineer Is Human: The Role of Failure in Successful Design. New York: Vintage, 1992.