Why Bridges, Products and Companies Fall

The bridge collapse on 35 West in Minneapolis is in the news today. Have just seen the security camera video of the collapse. The cause is off camera. You just see the bridge start falling level from one end, and then the structure pulls itself down section by section in seconds.

Falling level is a hint, if one joint failed on one side it would have tipped or wobbled when it fell. The initial failure has to be on the hidden support at that end. Whether the support collapsed, the section slid off the end, or too much concrete (weight) had been added for the structure will be determined by more knowledgeable engineers than me.

The truth is the real cause has taken years to be created. It is probably the accumulation of several human errors: possibilities include the design, past maintenance, the planning, and the execution the current project.

The same thing is true of any product or business. When they start to fail it is an accumulation of causes: late deliveries, poor trained customer service, customers struggling to order what they need, lack of marketing to new clients, and often the lack of new products and services. These are all symptoms to be taken seriously and corrected before the collapse.