Thinking like an engineer

Manager

Engineer

Challenger(SpaceShuttle)Disaster

Fortechnicaldetails,visit:http://history.msfc.nasa.gov/book/chptnine.pdf

Morton Thiokol
Vs.
Space Center
Robert Lund:
Jerald Mason:

reconsider
Take off your engineering hat and
put on your management hat

 Who has the expertize to judge?

What is the normative significance?

Code of Conduct (Norms) of Engineering Profession

Is it obligatory? If so,
so why?
Is it only convention among professionals?
How is it related to the approval of the society?
The rule/s of engineering game?

Why to obey norms/codes?

Because one has

B
h promised
i d
A quasi-contract/convention
Expectations of the society
obligations
General and specific
p
g
To be ethical and to be fair
Code corresponds to a living
li ing practice

Interpreting Normative guidelines/Codes

Faithfulness to the professional code

Follow the guidelines of ordinary morality
Holding paramount the public welfare
Stay free from self interest
To be interpreted in the light of what intended
Rationally adjudicated
As if the trustee of the public (anyone)
Full disclosure of possible risks

Four Reasons to Support Professional Codes

1. C
1
Codes/Norms
d /N
protect
t t them
th andd others
th
2. Norms ensure a better working environment
3. Make their profession noblefree from blame,
shame and guilt
4. To ensure fairness: oneself & from others

Laws

Prof.Codes
f d

Normativeprinciples

FS/IITJ/KJG/20161

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