Tacoma Narrows Suspension Bridge: Article Critique In November of 1940 the Tacoma Narrows Suspension Bridge (TNB) collapsed into the Puget Sound after a spectacular display of twisting and bucking due to the high wind velocity through the Narrows. A committee of three experts conducted an investigation into the bridge collapse and made some determinations regarding causes of the event. Through the course of their investigation they did determine that the basic design of the bridge was sound and the materials were of acceptable quality (Pinto, 2016). However, risk identification was not pursued to its fullest extent on this project and those risks became issues with the final product.
Identifying the Risks In reviewing the case of the TNB …show more content…
Lessons learned are always a good place to start with new projects, however the application of risk management principles should have lead the project manager to direct the engineers to perform extensive testing on the design of the bridge (Pinto, 2016). The most glaring risk that could be identified in the bridge collapse was engineers and the project manager to allow a local contractor to install solid steel girders on the sides of the bridge instead of the open girders that were in the initial design plan (Pinto, 2016). This fact alone was pivotal to the failure of the bridge as the solid girders caused the middle span of the bridge to “fly” like an airplane wing (WSDOT, n.d.). Additionally, the location of the bridge does not appear to have figured heavily in the design plan as the Narrows increased the wind velocity more than two times the actual wind speed (Pinto, 2016). The failure to apply risk management to this project ultimately resulted in the failure of the final product, the …show more content…
By including everyone in the project team, risks are more readily identified and can be planned for with greater accuracy (Pinto, 2016). In looking at the examples of the lack of risk management on the TNB project, a project manager can draw the importance of risk planning and the inclusion of all members of the project team in meetings and risk identification throughout the life cycle of the project. Additionally, because the bridge designers had built numerous bridges before, the project manager may have set overly optimistic plans for the project’s success (Fabricius and Büttgen, 2015). Overconfidence of the project manager on a project can actually lead to a lower perceived threat of risks (Fabricius and Büttgen, 2015). Was the project manager of the TNB project overconfident and simple felt that the success of past bridge designs would guarantee the success of the TNB project, even in light of glaring issues with the design? The answer to this question is unknown, however by studying the possible cause and effect of the risk management process in the TNB project, a project manager could determine the need for effective risk identification and mitigation or avoidance (Pinto, 2016). Rule of Thumb or Heuristics decision making on projects is a standard practice, but must be tempered by a sensitivity to risk (PMI, 2013). Project
Identifying the Risks In reviewing the case of the TNB …show more content…
Lessons learned are always a good place to start with new projects, however the application of risk management principles should have lead the project manager to direct the engineers to perform extensive testing on the design of the bridge (Pinto, 2016). The most glaring risk that could be identified in the bridge collapse was engineers and the project manager to allow a local contractor to install solid steel girders on the sides of the bridge instead of the open girders that were in the initial design plan (Pinto, 2016). This fact alone was pivotal to the failure of the bridge as the solid girders caused the middle span of the bridge to “fly” like an airplane wing (WSDOT, n.d.). Additionally, the location of the bridge does not appear to have figured heavily in the design plan as the Narrows increased the wind velocity more than two times the actual wind speed (Pinto, 2016). The failure to apply risk management to this project ultimately resulted in the failure of the final product, the …show more content…
By including everyone in the project team, risks are more readily identified and can be planned for with greater accuracy (Pinto, 2016). In looking at the examples of the lack of risk management on the TNB project, a project manager can draw the importance of risk planning and the inclusion of all members of the project team in meetings and risk identification throughout the life cycle of the project. Additionally, because the bridge designers had built numerous bridges before, the project manager may have set overly optimistic plans for the project’s success (Fabricius and Büttgen, 2015). Overconfidence of the project manager on a project can actually lead to a lower perceived threat of risks (Fabricius and Büttgen, 2015). Was the project manager of the TNB project overconfident and simple felt that the success of past bridge designs would guarantee the success of the TNB project, even in light of glaring issues with the design? The answer to this question is unknown, however by studying the possible cause and effect of the risk management process in the TNB project, a project manager could determine the need for effective risk identification and mitigation or avoidance (Pinto, 2016). Rule of Thumb or Heuristics decision making on projects is a standard practice, but must be tempered by a sensitivity to risk (PMI, 2013). Project