The Titanic as a Risk Model for IT Projects

Hello everyone! Let’s talk about risks. I have a model that I use in both my work and everyday life. I’m talking about the Titanic disaster. The plot is well-known, so I won’t repeat it here. I’ll list several factors that led to the disaster, and you can apply them to IT and everyday life.

The steel used for the Titanic was the best suited for this purpose. When an iceberg ripped through the ship’s side, the steel held, but the rivets didn’t. It turned out the company was rushing workers to finish the project faster, as every day of construction meant lost profit. For the riveters, the only KPI was the number of rivets per hour. They used additives to soften the steel, making it fit into the holes with a single blow. But that wasn’t a problem, after all, the ship is unsinkable.

The company complied with the law and supplied the ship with sufficient life-saving equipment. However, it sacrificed lifeboats for life jackets. And with the space saved, it upgraded the passenger cabins, allowing it to sell tickets at higher prices. In Arctic conditions, a life jacket is a recipe for agonizing death. But why worry about that? The ship is unsinkable.

When the disaster struck, and the chief constructor declared the ship doomed, the decision to evacuate was made in an indecisive manner. Everyone believed too much that the ship was unsinkable.

The situation was compounded by unfavorable weather (calm), an unknown type of iceberg, flaws in the radio protocol, and the crew’s lack of preparedness for a real evacuation. No training was conducted because… well, you know why.

I’ve personally drawn the following conclusions. Disasters happen when several factors converge. That’s why I monitor my projects, my loved ones, mentally replaying the possible confluence of negative factors. The Titanic story also taught me that the pursuit of profit, the hellish conveyor belt, usually leads to people fulfilling their plans, but with inadequate quality.

And I always keep in mind that no matter how perfect the Titanic is, it’s made of iron — it can sink. It’s the same with any IT system, no matter how much you build into it. Without human ingenuity and experience, it will sooner or later run into an iceberg.

P.S. I love to hide jokes in my drawings, referencing pop culture or the nature of the phenomenon being described. If you found one in the previous picture (AI), I hope you’ll find one in this one too.