Thread by @MarkVerry_USA

‘Success through Failure: the Paradox of Design’ by Henry Petroski

A little perspective for those who think they have reached the top.

#TheUnitLibrary #BookClub 🧵
April #professionaldevelopment

History is often viewed as a series of conquests and successes resulting in a modern humans sitting at the paramount of civilization. Petroski turns this on it's head through an analysis of design and engineering failures that stimulated invention and innovation.

“Successful tests are unremarkable... Failures are remarkable. The failures always teach us more than the successes about the design of things.”

This quote resoonated with me. How often in AAR's do we focus on what ‘went well’ and try to minimize of ignore issues or problems?

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This reaction to failure is understandable, no one wants to feel like a failure. If we fail, who would trust us on the next mission? What would our evals look like? Isn't it better to just highlight the good?

It takes #PersonalCourage to identify our own failure and #Loyalty -and tact- to honestly identify the failures of others.

“In general, campaign projects have to be adjusted to conditions (time, weather), the number of the enemy. ...the more one foresees obstacles to his [sic] plans the less one will find them later in the execution...

“In a word, everything must be foreseen; find the problems and resolve them.” ~Frederick the Great images.app.goo.gl/795S4xJXCwAMrF…

ADP 5-0 The Operations Process discusses anticipating and adapting to changing circumstances. Both critical to planning at all levels. Not to eliminate uncertainty but to develop a framework and acknowledge it. bit.ly/3eqRgPM

“Failure of an existing thing or technology provides not only the initial motivation for seeking an improvement in some thing or process but also the means if incrementally developing ideas and prototypes”

.@USArmy_CALL leads the Army Lessons Learned Program that gives leaders the methodology to identify and obtain relevant information to resolve gaps and inform the planning process and in assessments throughout. bit.ly/2PkfuTi

“Dissatisfied customers are this the source of important feedback on designs...”

During AAR's it is paramount to document detailed observations, discussions, and recommendations.

It can be hard to solicit detailed feedback about things that went wrong. Complaints are easier than recommendations.

What should you ask about? DOTML-PF of course.

“There are two approaches to any engineering or design problem: success-based and failure-based. Paradoxically, the latter is always far more likely to succeed.”

It may not come naturally to some to call out their own failures. #Leaders must understanding that is not a weakness but a strength and a core part of getting results; essential to adapting and achieving.

“Risk and progress go and in hand.”

Being willing to fail does not mean leaders can be careless, nonchalant, or reckless. #RiskManagement ensures freedom for incremental improvements without unnecessary hazards jeopardizing people, the mission, or equipment. bit.ly/3nkxLfF

‘success through Failure’ was a great book to kick of #TheUnitLibrary #BookClub monthly #professionaldevelopment challenge. It is full of applicable lessons that go beyond design and general engineering.

Thank you for joining me.

@threadreaderapp roll