Name: Meltdown
ISBN: 9781786492265

Chris Clearfield

Andras Tilcsik

A groundbreaking take on how complexity causes failure in all kinds of modern systems--from social media to air travel--this practical and entertaining book reveals how we can prevent meltdowns in business and life.

Why Our Systems Fail and What We Can Do about It

Meltdown

Andrs̀ Tilcsik

"A crash on the Washington, D.C. metro system. An accidental overdose in a state-of-the-art hospital. An overcooked holiday meal. At first glance, these disasters seem to have little in common. But surprising new research shows that all these events--and the myriad failures that dominate headlines every day--share similar causes. By understanding what lies behind these failures, we can design better systems, make our teams more productive, and transform how we make decisions at work and at home"--Amazon.com.

Why Our Systems Fail and What We Can Do About It

Sarah Schumacher

4.5 stars. The definition and concept of a complex, tightly coupled system is the most valuable insight from the book. Many of the disaster examples I’ve seen dissected elsewhere, although I don’t think we can spend enough time learning from them. Overall very well written and enjoyable read with some practical solutions. I would have liked to see more of that.

Jeremy Anderberg

As our world gets more technological in nature, it also gets more complex. Softwares interact with hardwares in infinite, non-linear ways. A small glitch in one system can cause big problems in an unrelated system. Plane crashes (sadly, especially relevant this week). Nuclear disasters. Banking hacks and failures.

How does this stuff happen? What can these man-made disasters teach us about success and failure in our own lives and businesses? Perhaps most importantly, as our world only continues to get more complex, can this stuff ever be prevented?

The authors take the approach of presenting a boat load of super interesting case studies — many disasters you're familiar with, and plenty you're likely not — and then asking what those examples can teach us. (It's structured a lot like Deep Survival, if you've happened to read it.) I don't always love books loaded with case studies, but when those examples are disasters, it's a lot easier and just plain more interesting to read than a bunch of psychology research cases.

It's sort of a hybrid business/self-improvement book, but with a very unique approach. Memorable books in those genres are harder and harder to come by, and Meltdown is one of them.

Meltdown Why Our Systems Fail and What We Can Do about It

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