No one knows exactly how much poor communication costs businesses, industry, and the government each year, but estimates suggest billions. A recent estimate claims that the cost in the U.S. alone is close to $4 billion annually![1] Poorly worded or inefficient emails, careless reading or listening to instructions, documents that go unread due to poor design, hastily presenting inaccurate information, and sloppy proofreading — all of these examples result in inevitable costs. The problem is that these costs aren’t usually included on the corporate balance sheet at the end of each year, so often the problem remains unsolved.

Question

The waste caused by imprecisely worded regulations or instructions, confusing emails, long-winded memos, ambiguously written contracts, and other examples of poor communication is not as easily identified as the losses caused by a bridge collapse or a flood. But the losses are just as real—in reduced productivity, inefficiency, and lost business. In more personal terms, the losses are measured in wasted time, work, money, and ultimately, professional recognition. In extreme cases, losses can be measured in property damage, injuries, and even deaths.
Your task is to conduct research on communication failures in business or the workplace and create a presentation for your classmates.
Choose one major failure that you find interesting and continue your research on that specific incident.
In your presentation, you will provide the details of the incident, how or why communication was the reason for the failure, your thoughts and ideas on how the incident could have been avoided, and any outcomes/verdicts from the case (i.e.-final court proceedings, disasters, death tolls, criminal charges, etc.).
You will then create your presentation of at least 10 slides on the major points and pertinent information. You must include at least 2 images depicting the incident.
Each slide should contain audio (or video clips, if available) with your original thoughts, ideas, or concepts.
A work cited or reference slide should be included at the end of your presentation that includes all research references.

Answer 1

Presentation Outline: Communication Failure in Business - The NASA Challenger Disaster

Slide 1: Title Slide

• Title: Communication Failure in Business: The NASA Challenger Disaster
• Presenter Name
• Course Name/Date
• Image: Challenger Launch (NASA photo)

Slide 2: Introduction to the Challenger Disaster

• Brief overview of the Challenger Space Shuttle launch on January 28, 1986.
• Importance of the mission and the tragic outcome.
• Image: Challenger launch pad prior to launch.

Slide 3: Background Information

• Overview of the Challenger shuttle's purpose and significance.
• Introduction of the crew members including Christa McAuliffe, the first teacher in space.
• Mention of the launch date and pre-launch excitement.

Slide 4: Communication Breakdown

• Description of the key failing where engineers from Morton Thiokol expressed concerns about O-ring performance in cold weather.
• Highlight the ignored warnings by NASA managers.
• Explain the disconnect between engineers and decision-makers.

Slide 5: Detailed Analysis of Communication Failures

• Identify specific instances of poor communication:
  • Engineers' concerns were not formally documented.
  • Management's dismissive attitude towards technical warnings.
• Discussion of culture within NASA that prioritized schedule over safety.

Slide 6: Consequences of the Failure

• Immediate results: The Challenger disintegrated 73 seconds after liftoff.
• Casualties: 7 crew members lost their lives.
• Long-term implications for NASA and space exploration.

Slide 7: Lessons Learned

• Importance of open communication channels in any organization.
• Need for a culture that encourages reporting issues without fear of backlash.
• Value of documenting concerns and discussions formally.

Slide 8: How Communication Could Have Prevented the Disaster

• Proposing solutions:
  • Ensuring that all safety concerns are addressed promptly at all managerial levels.
  • Implementing a more robust risk assessment and communication protocol.
• Importance of independent reviews and oversight in high-stakes environments.

Slide 9: Outcomes and Verdicts

• Summary of the Rogers Commission Report.
• Recommendations made for NASA to improve practices.
• Discussion of the changes implemented post-disaster and impacts on future missions.

Slide 10: Conclusion & Reflection

• Summary of the key takeaways from the Challenger disaster regarding communication failures.
• Personal thoughts on the necessity for clear and open lines of communication in all organizations to prevent similar tragedies.
• Call to action for all professionals to prioritize effective communication.

Slide 11: References

• List of sources consulted for research, including books, articles, and credible websites such as:
  • NASA official reports.
  • "The Challenger Launch Decision: Risky Technology, Culture, and Deviance at NASA" by Douglas A. Farnham.
  • Academic journals discussing organizational communication failures.

Notes for Audio/Video Clips:

• For each slide, prepare a brief audio narration that reiterates the main points.
• Embed relevant video clips such as historical footage of the launch or clips from news coverage after the disaster.

Make sure the presentation is visually appealing, engaging, and well-paced, allowing time for discussion and questions from classmates at the end.