Reply #38

In the discussion thread: Roger Boisjoly dies at 73; engineer tried to halt Challenger launch [View all]

Tue Feb 7, 2012, 10:02 PM

38. actually, Tufte's point was that the Powerless Pointless slides failed

to convey the real import of the information. He takes the data and displays it differently. in Tufte's visualization, the same data are there, but there is no way of avoiding the conclusion that the O-rings could not stand up to such low temperatures. I think he would say that the managers could have been convinced had the engineers had a better grasp of visualization techniques.

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60 replies	Author	Time	Post
Roger Boisjoly dies at 73; engineer tried to halt Challenger launch [View all]	Lionel Mandrake	Feb 2012	OP
NASA did a horrible, horrible thing, when they refused to listen to him.	CaliforniaPeggy	Feb 2012	#1
Not just NASA.	no_hypocrisy	Feb 2012	#11
Thank you for that information.	CaliforniaPeggy	Feb 2012	#12
Is this just more CT stuff?	former9thward	Feb 2012	#14
Here's what I could find online. I remember the discussion well in 1986 when it happened. Conceded	no_hypocrisy	Feb 2012	#21
Don't forget, a phone call doesn't leave a track	hedgehog	Feb 2012	#32
Well done	Kolesar	Feb 2012	#50
The launch had been delayed multiple times...	Cassandra	Feb 2012	#54
Ooooh defense of Reagan. Imagine that!	Hassin Bin Sober	Feb 2012	#59
Ooooh you building a strawman. Imagine that!	former9thward	Feb 2012	#60
The Gipper complicit. Tell me it ain't true, Joe	indepat	Feb 2012	#24
It ain't true, Joe.	dairydog91	Feb 2012	#53
I remember that discussion well -	BlueMTexpat	Feb 2012	#42
See My Post Farther Down	ProfessorGAC	Feb 2012	#52
If I remember correctly raygun wanted that flight that day	madokie	Feb 2012	#47
This was not an "engineering miscalculation". This error was a management error. The engineering	rhett o rick	Feb 2012	#2
yeah, that stuck out for me, too	Blue_Tires	Feb 2012	#7
The original Hyatt design for the supporting rods was	exboyfil	Feb 2012	#25
That's a natural corporate media, authoritarian bias coming through in the column.	Uncle Joe	Feb 2012	#15
The managers were also engineers.	eomer	Feb 2012	#27
In my book, once you become a manager, you stop being an engineer. nm	rhett o rick	Feb 2012	#28
Alan McDonald didn't stop being an engineer.	Lionel Mandrake	Feb 2012	#31
I was generalizing. A problem I see is that when you have engineers as managers	rhett o rick	Feb 2012	#36
Robert Lund's position at Morton Thiokol was "VP of Engineering".	eomer	Feb 2012	#43
I agree up to a certain level. However, good engineers dont necessarily	rhett o rick	Feb 2012	#48
RIP - You DID what you COULD, the shuttle astronauts will tell you that soon,,,,,	benld74	Feb 2012	#3
Amen!	Boombaby	Feb 2012	#5
A man of honour, and a true public servant.	PDJane	Feb 2012	#4
An Example Of What Happens	DallasNE	Feb 2012	#6
iirc, there was also a lot of external pressure up top	Blue_Tires	Feb 2012	#10
A True Engineer	burrowowl	Feb 2012	#8
Does anyone know who was the on-site asshole that made the final decision to go for launch?	denbot	Feb 2012	#9
If I'm reading this correctly, Stanley Reinartz, Shuttle Project Manager	Blue_Tires	Feb 2012	#13
I think I found your answer denbot	Lochloosa	Feb 2012	#18
RIP Roger and thanks for your service.	Uncle Joe	Feb 2012	#16
You're welcome.	Lionel Mandrake	Feb 2012	#26
I was going to watch the launch at home and get to work a little late	rocktivity	Feb 2012	#17
I thought Reagan's speech on TV that evening was wonderful....	LeftinOH	Feb 2012	#19
He died Jan. 6th. Not really LBN	tawadi	Feb 2012	#20
I remember Richard Feynman absolutely hammering NASA about the o-rings.	edbermac	Feb 2012	#22
This is a great read	slutticus	Feb 2012	#23
As I recall, Rogers was upset about that stunt.	Lionel Mandrake	Feb 2012	#29
Read "The Cognitive Style of PowerPoint"	catrose	Feb 2012	#30
actually, Tufte's point was that the Powerless Pointless slides failed	MadLinguist	Feb 2012	#38
It's been awhile since I looked at it	catrose	Feb 2012	#39
I think it is better for your career to stand by and let bad things happen	hedgehog	Feb 2012	#33
I attended a communications class that attempted to blame Boisjoly	TrogL	Feb 2012	#34
CORRECT	Skittles	Feb 2012	#35
I still remember vividly...	sendero	Feb 2012	#37
I will never forget that day. It's my birthday.	Zoeisright	Feb 2012	#40
IIRc, CNN had cut awayt to commercial. I had CNN on but didn't see it live.	Hassin Bin Sober	Feb 2012	#58
Wow! Read this obit in the LA Times this a.m. & had never heard his story b4-Shocking!!!!!!	SoCalDemGrrl	Feb 2012	#41
Blessed be the truth-tellers...	Surya Gayatri	Feb 2012	#44
NASA Was Trying to Go from R&D to Operational Status and Pushed by Reagan to do so	solarman350	Feb 2012	#45
Ignore engineers and scientists at your peril	malaise	Feb 2012	#46
Wow... first I've heard of this.	4_TN_TITANS	Feb 2012	#49
I Remember Him	ProfessorGAC	Feb 2012	#51
''...as the vehicle cleared the tower Bob whispered to me that we had just dodged a bullet.''	Gabi Hayes	Feb 2012	#55
IIRC, the plan was to have Reagan talk to the astronauts LIVE from the SOTU, not just mentioning it,	GreatCaesarsGhost	Feb 2012	#56
Very interesting article	obamanut2012	Feb 2012	#57

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