Cannot Quote by Henry Petroski
“I employ case studies of failure into my courses, emphasizing that they teach us much more than studies of success. It is not that success stories cannot serve as models of good design or as exemplars of creative engineering. They can do that, but they cannot teach us how close to failure they are.”
About This Quote
Source Book: To Engineer Is Human, 1992
Failure provides concrete lessons about limits, prompting deeper understanding and better design than success alone.
In simple terms: Failure teaches more than success.
Key Takeaway
Learn from mistakes to improve.
Themes
engineering
learning
resilience
Mood
analytical
optimistic
Type
educational
practical
When to use this quote
- product development
- education
- process improvement
Key Concepts
systems thinking
risk management
Questions to Reflect On
- What recent failure can you analyze for hidden lessons?
- How can you balance success and failure studies?
A Different Perspective
Success still offers valuable insights.
![“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)
