"In the 2010s, Boeing's rush to compete with Airbus led it to bolt new software (MCAS) onto an older airframe rather than design a safer model. The flight system malfunctioned, causing two fatal crashes that showed how profit and speed can eclipse safety. In 2015, Theranos claimed it could diagnose diseases from a single drop of blood. Despite attracting immense investment, its core technology failed."
"Founder Elizabeth Holmes was convicted of fraud, leaving investors with a story built on false claims. And WeWork, once hailed as a "tech company," soared to a $47 billion valuation before its failed IPO exposed massive losses. The illusion of hypergrowth collapsed, revealing a real-estate business built on inflated ambition. These events echo the modern innovation trap: we chase what's measurable, not what matters."
Obsessing over metrics can make measurements mirror or distort reality and obscure underlying priorities. Organizations that prioritize measurable growth and short-term profit can bolt inadequate fixes onto complex systems, compromising safety and design integrity. Misleading technological claims and exaggerated narratives can attract investment despite lacking core functionality, enabling fraud and investor losses. Inflated valuations built on hype can collapse when underlying economics are exposed. Preventing these failures requires valuing robust design, independent verification, aligned incentives, and metrics that reflect long-term safety and real value. Prioritize qualitative judgment, rigorous testing, and governance that resists metric-driven shortcuts.
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