Normal Accidents
by Charles Perrow
In tightly coupled, complex systems, accidents are inevitable: Three Mile Island, chemical plants, aviation. Foundational for safety and risk thinking.
Read it if…
you manage complex systems and want to understand failure.
See the book →
Skip it if…
you want optimism.
Try instead: Drift into Failure →
Three things you will actually use
- Complexity plus tight coupling equals normal accidents.
- Redundancy can add risk.
- Design for loose coupling.
Do this first
Read the Three Mile Island chapter.
Our verdict
Accidents are normal.
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Compare with other Character books
Mistakes Were Made (but Not by Me)
Carol Tavris and Elliot Aronson · Character
Self-justification, explained.
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