Accidents Quote by Henry Petroski
“We call the fates of the Titanic and the Concordia - as well as those of the space shuttles Challenger and Columbia - 'accidents.' Foreseeing such undesirable events is what engineers are expected to do. However, design trade-offs leave technological systems open to failings once predicted, but later forgotten.”
About This Quote
Source Book: “To Engineer Is Human” by Henry Petroski, 1985
Engineers must anticipate failures, yet design compromises often leave systems vulnerable when predictions are forgotten.
In simple terms: Anticipate failures, but design limits cause risks.
Key Takeaway
Plan for long‑term vigilance.
Themes
engineering
risk
design
prediction
Mood
cautious
analytical
Type
technical
reflective
When to use this quote
- product development
- space missions
- infrastructure maintenance
- policy making
Key Concepts
Systems thinking
failure analysis
Questions to Reflect On
- What safeguards can prevent forgotten predictions?
- How to balance safety and innovation?
A Different Perspective
Risk assessment can be costly and incomplete.
![“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)
