Technical language: learning from the Columbia and Challenger reports

We can learn from the Columbia shuttle tragedy the potential consequences of taking technical language as more definite, unequivocal, agreed upon than it really is. Sadly, language misunderstandings in Columbia (2003) parallel similar problems in Challenger (1986). Fortunately, though, technical inv...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inIPCC 2005. Proceedings. International Professional Communication Conference, 2005 pp. 638 - 641
Main Author Dombrowski, P.M.
Format Conference Proceeding
LanguageEnglish
Published IEEE 2005
Subjects
Accidents
Aerospace industry
Concrete
Context awareness
Extraterrestrial phenomena
Knowledge management
NASA
Professional communication
Space exploration
Space shuttles
Online AccessGet full text

Cover

More Information
Summary:We can learn from the Columbia shuttle tragedy the potential consequences of taking technical language as more definite, unequivocal, agreed upon than it really is. Sadly, language misunderstandings in Columbia (2003) parallel similar problems in Challenger (1986). Fortunately, though, technical investigators are learning the vagaries of language use and organizational culture in shaping technical discourse.
ISBN:078039027X
9780780390270
ISSN:2158-091X
DOI:10.1109/IPCC.2005.1494233