Role of Information in the Challenger Disaster

Chapter X, \”The Decision to Launch the Space Shuttle Challenger\” (pp. 17–31)

Hammer, M. (2007). The 7 deadly sins of performance measurement and how to avoid them. MIT Sloan Management Review, 48(3), 19–28. Retrieved from http://www.sloanreview.mit.edu/

To Prepare

·       Review this week’s Learning Resources, especially the following:

o   Tufte, E. R. (2008). Visual and statistical thinking: Displays of evidence for making decisions (4th ed.). Cheshire, CT: Graphic Press.

§  Chapter X, \”The Decision to Launch the Space Shuttle Challenger\” (pp. 17–31)

o   Hammer, M. (2007). The 7 deadly sins of performance measurement and how to avoid them. MIT Sloan Management Review, 48(3), 19–28. Retrieved from http://www.sloanreview.mit.edu/

To complete the Assignment, compose a cohesive document that addresses the following:

·       Analyze the events surrounding the Challenger launch through the lenses of both the “7 deadly sins” article, and the Tufte pamphlet, and discuss how variation and misinterpretation played a role in the disaster.

·       Outline which of these “sins” you see as contributing to the events surrounding the disaster.

·        Explain in what ways you believe the “sins” contributed, and how some of the strategies discussed in the Tufte pamphlet might have helped overcome those contributions.

General Guidance: This week’s Assignment submission should be about 4–6 pages in length. Refer to the Week 4 Assignment Rubric for grading elements and criteria. Your Instructor will use this rubric to assess your work.