One of the great things about the Regulation and the Act is the subjectivity of ALARP and Due Diligence. Both account for the beauty of human fallibility and the adaptability needed in tackling risk. Of course, there is no policy, law, regulation or standard that is absent of a moral philosophy. … [Read more...] about The Ethic of ALARP and the Dilemma of Safety
AI Mythology, Confirmation Bias and Safety
One of the skills in critical thinking is deconstructing assumptions underneath argument. This skill is essential when reading anything about AI and safety. It is critical in risk and safety to be able to deconstruct argument and discern Real Risk … [Read more...] about AI Mythology, Confirmation Bias and Safety
Zero Discourse and Perfectionism
Zero Discourse and Perfectionism Talking perfection to fallible people is not just silly, it is also dangerous (http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20180219-toxic-perfectionism-is-on-the-rise). How strange that an industry so fixated on saving lives would unknowingly want to harm people! Yet, this is … [Read more...] about Zero Discourse and Perfectionism
Competing Values Framework and SPoR
The work of Cameron and Quinn (1999) and their Competing Values Framework (CVFs) should be essential research for anyone in risk and safety interested in culture particularly, the politics of culture. (Cameron, K., and Quinn, R., (1999). Diagnosing and Changing Organizational Culture, Based on the … [Read more...] about Competing Values Framework and SPoR
The Myth of Certainty and Prediction in Risk
The myth of certainty proposes that life is knowable, predictable and manageable. Such certainty is not real but is believed and made true symbolically. This is what is observed in the use of the symbol of zero, the belief in the absolute and infinity, applied to fallible humans? The language of … [Read more...] about The Myth of Certainty and Prediction in Risk
Practical Case Studies in SPoR Presented at Vienna Workshops
One of the features of any SPoR workshop is the practical positive methods one takes away, underpinned by a clearly articulated methodology. This will be a feature of the Vienna Workshops 26-30 June. You can register for these workshops here: … [Read more...] about Practical Case Studies in SPoR Presented at Vienna Workshops
Risk iCue Video
The foundational tool in SPoR for tackling risk is the Risk iCue method. Risk iCue method is a graphical, relational, verbal and visual way of understanding risk. The method requires significant level of training in open questioning, listening and reflection. This is the first video in a series … [Read more...] about Risk iCue Video
Rethinking Leadership in Risk
Rethinking Leadership in Risk It is easy to put up a blog or tweet and just about say anything as if any ‘noise’ and enthusiasm are helpful. Somewhere along the line there needs to be a balance of listening, respect and conversation between the amateur and expert view or the alienation will … [Read more...] about Rethinking Leadership in Risk
Gesture and Symbol in Safety, the Force of Culture
We know in the study of culture, that culture cannot be conceptualised or learned propositionally. This is why Safety is so happy to declare culture non-understandable, ‘cloudy’ and confusing (eg. Hopkins, Busch etc.). Just don’t talk about it. When you take an engineering and behaviourist lens … [Read more...] about Gesture and Symbol in Safety, the Force of Culture
Human Factors is Never About Humans
Human Factors is Never About Humans The first rule in reading safety is to understand that words essentially don’t have meaning. Zero never means zero, different doesn’t mean different and ‘human factors’ doesn’t have anything to do with humans. Most of the time when Safety uses words you can rely … [Read more...] about Human Factors is Never About Humans