Criteria Quote by Henry Petroski
“I emphasize that virtually every engineering calculation is ultimately a failure calculation, because without a failure criterion against which to measure the calculated result, it is a meaningless number.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Existential of Design, 1995
Engineering calculations must include failure criteria to be meaningful.
In simple terms: Include failure checks in calculations.
Key Takeaway
Design with failure in mind.
Themes
engineering
risk management
design
Mood
analytical
educational
Type
technical
instructive
When to use this quote
- product development
- structural analysis
- quality assurance
Key Concepts
failure analysis
systems thinking
validation
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you balance failure criteria with creative design?
- When is risk acceptable?
A Different Perspective
May overemphasize failure, stifling innovation.
![“Whether or not science can be applied to that mental construct [i.e. the designed entity] is a matter of availability. If there is body of scientific knowledge that can be applied, then it would be foolish not to exploit it. However, if there is none, it does not mean that the thing cannot be…” quote by Henry Petroski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/17d/henry-petroski-10198_availability_whether-or-not-science-can-be-applied-to_341822.jpg)
![“[ When a religious couple wrote to Sagan about fulfilled prophecies, he wrote back in May 1996 :] If ‘fulfilled prophecy’ is your criterion, why do you not believe in materialistic science, which has an unparalleled record of fulfilled prophecy? Consider, for example, eclipses.” quote by Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/875/carl-sagan-160_belief_when-a-religious-couple-wrote-to-sagan-a_25095.jpg)
