In January 1986, NASA’s engineers knew the O-rings would fail in cold temperatures. They said so, in writing, the night before the launch. The data existed. The judgment existed. The warning was on the table.
But the cultural pressure to launch — the schedule, the momentum, the organizational need to say yes — overrode every human signal in the room. Seventy-three seconds later, seven people were dead.
The Challenger disaster wasn’t a data failure. It was what happens when the pressure to move forward drowns out the people saying something isn’t right.
We are in that moment right now with AI.
Designed for Humans is a practical series for mid-size companies navigating technology decisions right now.
Transformation is messy and nonlinear. You can't sequence your way to perfect before you start. But you can start by listening to the people closest to the work, taking the pressure off to find the "right" solution, and letting the real need point the way. Whether that's AI, better data, a process change, or something else entirely.
Real use cases. Plain language. Zero hype. These are unprecedented times and we don't have all the answers. What we can promise is honesty and transparency: practical cases from the field, and when we get something wrong, we'll tell you. When things change, we'll tell you that too.
Check out helpful insights and examples listed below or explore our approach to problem-solving with AI using a decision tree methodology.
