Challenge #02534-F344: Designed For Disaster
There are reasons why humans coined the term “idiot proofing”, many MANY reasons -- Anon Guest
Make it idiot proof and the world will invent a better idiot -- Human engineering axiom.
It was a Human who came up with Murphy's Law, and further Humans who came up with all the associated corollaries. Humans investigated them all, invented science to prove them, and then invented science that provided vital analysis into the reasons why it was so.
All devices made by Humans are over-engineered to cope with stresses both outside and inside. They print instructional plaques and then make certain that the device cannot possibly be used in any other way. They have a language of use, of codifying function into design, that other species have to work at to even parallel.
Human engineers are prized employees, they are valued when it comes to designing all kinds of emergency devices. Lifepods, livesuits, escape vehicles... the famed Hungry Caterpillar, the Alliance-wide impact interception and prevention device, was made by Humans. It is famously idiot proof and has saved uncountable lives. Including the ones who were standing too close when they decided to blow up the airlocks.
It has gone so far that other Alliance races are flocking to attend engineering and design classes taught by Humans. What, they wonder, is the secret?
The answer - or at least the beginning of one - comes in the form of an edutainment video in the first class. It contains, in its entirety, footage of Humans and other species attempting to misuse everyday objects. No inebriation necessary. At the end of the thirty-minutes of video, the lecturer waits for the laughter to die down, and introduces the First Principal of making anything:
"Always assume that the end-users are illiterate idiots who are barely past cusp-cogniscence. It saves a flakkload of time."
[Image c- hotfoot]
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Sometimes I feel like less idiot proofing and more Darwinism needs to happen 😵
But at the same time i don’t think I want anyone to die for stupid reasons 😖
Everyone has Idiot Moments(tm), and nobody wants to die because of them.
This reminds me of my husband's work as an IT man. Constantly having to explain the basics to people who are SUPPOSED to be professionals, and yet asks for help when a machine won't work. Like the client that called about a "printer not responding". It just needed to be plugged in.