Does human error cause accidents? Yes, but we need to know what led to the error: in the majority of instances it is inappropriate design of equipment or procedures.
It is time to launch a revolution, time to insist on a people-centered approach to technology.
On April 8, 2014, the New York Times headlined a story about a U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) report on the tragic incident of January 2013 when a ferry boat rammed a pier, injuring 80 people, 4 seriously. The headline stated “Captain and Design Faulted in East River Ferry Crash.” The headline was wrong. The NTSB got it right. Here is what Deborah Hersman, chair of the bureau, wrote:
