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BLUF: This post is part of my series on the collision of the USS JOHN S MCCAIN (DDG 56) with Motor Vessel ALNIC MC on 21 August 2017 in the near Singapore. It begins where the Navy and NTSB reports finish. It is the first part of my answer to the question, “What can be learned?” based on my assertion that the improved safety and and reliability possible through High Reliability Organizing have little to do with what you read in official investigations.
This post is the third and final one exploring my own ideas about Weick and Sutcliffe’s (2007) High Reliability Organizing principles oriented toward problem anticipation, Preoccupation with Failure. Following this post, I shall return to my shamelessly idiosyncratic review of the collision of the USS JOHN S MCCAIN (DDG 56) with Motor Vessel ALNIC MC on 21 August 2017 in the Straits of Singapore that led to the deaths of 11 US Sailors.
BLUF: This post explores the second High Reliability Organizing principle oriented toward problem anticipation, Reluctance to Simplify. These posts are part of a shamelessly idiosyncratic review of the collision of the USS JOHN S MCCAIN (DDG 56) with Motor Vessel ALNIC MC on 21 August 2017 in the Straits of Singapore that led to 11 US Sailor deaths. The series lets me apply my perspective and experience to illustrate key HRO concepts that might be hard to identify from the investigation reports alone.
BLUF: This post explores the first of three High Reliability Organizing principles oriented toward problem anticipation, Sensitivity to Operations. Subsequent posts will address Reluctance to Simplify and Preoccupation with Failure. It is part of a shamelessly idiosyncratic review of the collision of the USS JOHN S MCCAIN (DDG 56) with Motor Vessel ALNIC MC on 21 August 2017 in the Straits of Singapore. The series uses my perspective and experience to illustrate key HRO concepts that are hard to identify from the investigation reports alone.
BLUF: This post continues using the five principles of High Reliability Organizing (HRO) as a lens for reviewing the collision of the USS JOHN S MCCAIN (DDG 56) with Motor Vessel ALNIC MC on 21 August 2017 in the Straits of Singapore. The series uses my perspective and experience to illustrate key HRO concepts that are hard to identify from the investigation reports.
BLUF: This post is the first of several using HRO to analyze the sequence of events associated with the collision of the USS JOHN S MCCAIN (DDG 56) with Motor Vessel ALNIC MC on 21 August 2017 in the Straits of Singapore. The series uses my perspective to illustrate key HRO concepts that are hard to identify from the investigation reports.
With the review of the sequence of events and supplemental information complete, this post returns to James Reason’s accident causality model to “sort” the facts associated with the collision of the USS JOHN S MCCAIN (DDG 56) with Motor Vessel ALNIC MC on 21 August 2017 in the Straits of Singapore. The series is based on my perspective on HRO to illustrate key concepts that are hard to identify from the investigation reports.
BLUF: This post provides supplemental information from the Navy and NTSB reports that are most helpful for understanding of the context. The additional data includes training, qualification, and technical information about ship control systems related to the collision of the USS JOHN S MCCAIN (DDG 56) with Motor Vessel ALNIC MC on 21 August 2017 in the Straits of Singapore. The series uses my perspective on HRO to illustrate key concepts that are hard to identify from the investigation reports.
BLUF: This post returns to the review of the sequence of events associated with the collision of the USS JOHN S MCCAIN (DDG 56) with Motor Vessel ALNIC MC on 21 August 2017 in the Straits of Singapore. The series uses my perspective on HRO to illustrate key concepts that are hard to identify from the investigation reports.
BLUF: This post returns to the review of the sequence of events associated with the collision of the USS JOHN S MCCAIN (DDG 56) with Motor Vessel ALNIC MC on 21 August 2017 in the Straits of Singapore. The series uses my perspective on HRO to illustrate key concepts that are hard to identify from the investigation reports.
BLUF: This post continues the description of the high workload on the Bridge before the collision of the USS JOHN S MCCAIN (DDG 56) with Motor Vessel ALNIC MC on 21 August 2017 in the Straits of Singapore. The series is devoted explaining key concepts of HRO in context. The prior post emphasized the attention an OOD must devote to the environment external to the ship. This post describes the internal focus the OOD has to maintain as well (post 9g).
BLUF: This is a brief departure from the sequence of events associated with the collision of the USS JOHN S MCCAIN (DDG 56) with Motor Vessel ALNIC MC on 21 August 2017 in the Straits of Singapore. The series is devoted explaining key concepts of HRO in context. This post helps non-Navy Surface Warfare Officers understand the high mental workload on the Bridge before the collision. It emphasizes the attention an OOD must devote to the situational features external to the ship.
An introduction to a series of posts about the email system I describe in my book, How to: Become and Email Ninja. A thorough and lavishly illustrated guide to getting better results in electronic communications, including texts.
Being clear in your own mind about why you are sending an email is the first step for making that purpose clear to your readers. Most email falls into four basic types: meeting requests, event announcements, questing action, taking action. Your ability to accomplish one of the four purposes is enhanced by tactics tailored to each purpose.
This post describes step 2 of the PAASTUB (pronounced “paystub”) email process: Action. Make what you need and when you need it explicit in your email messages.
Only send email to recipients that need to know the content. The Addressees of your email message should only be the people who will be truly grateful for receiving it. Use the Cc: field of email sparingly. NEVER automatically “reply to all.”
Only send email to recipients that need to know the content. The Addressees of your email message should only be the people who will be truly grateful for receiving it. Use the Cc: field of email sparingly. NEVER automatically “reply to all.”
BLUF: After several forwards and replies, the average email contains an enormous quantity of non-value-added text. “Take out the trash” from your emails means to remove all unnecessary text before sending. Take a little bit of extra time to improve clarity and focus readers on just what is important for accomplishing your purpose.
BLUF: Delete or paraphrase ugly (insensitive or intemperate) remarks in email from yourself or others to avoid future pain and embarrassment. Send a separate note to people that write such things asking them refrain in the future.
This is Part Five of the sequence of events associated with the collision of the USS JOHN S MCCAIN (DDG 56) with Motor Vessel ALNIC MC on 21 August 2017 in the Straits of Singapore. It is part of a series devoted explaining key concepts of HRO in context and continues with the day before the collision.
