Human Performance in the Spotlight: Mental Practice

This article is a slightly edited reproduction of an article published in HindSight magazine issue 36 (Autumn 2024) (all issues…

Set Taxonomies to Neutral

Twenty years ago, I completed my PhD on human factors in air traffic control. Part…

Human Performance in the Spotlight: ‘Human Error’ and ‘Honest Mistakes’

This article is a reproduction of an article published in HindSight magazine issue 35 in September 2023 (all issues available…

Humanistic Systems Collections: The Albums & EPs

Since I starting blogging, I have written posts on a range of topics concerning work…

Postcards From Work: Exploring Archetypes of Human Work Through Micro-Narratives

Understanding the complexities and nuances of human work is critical if we are to improve how work really works. In healthcare, as clinicians and other healthcare professionals navigate their roles, they encounter a diverse array of situations that create goal conflicts, dilemmas and other challenges. One way to explore these is via micro-narratives. These are short stories based on personal observations and experiences. One method to capture these is via simple written postcards. Postcards from Work (Healthcare Edition) delves into these experiences.

A Surgeon’s Take on Human and Organisational Factors: A Conversation with Manoj Kumar

Healthcare is perhaps the most complex safety-critical sector, and the challenges have only increased throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Increasingly, human and organisational factors have come under the spotlight. Manoj Kumar is a consultant general surgeon with a background also in safety, human factors, and training. In this conversation with Steven Shorrock, Manoj provides insights and perspectives on the realities of work in healthcare, and the team’s role in improvement.

A Desk Is a Dangerous Place From Which to Watch the World

This article is a reproduction of an article published in HindSight magazine issue 28 in February 2019 on the…

Work-As-Imagined Solutioneering: Ten Traps Along the Yellow Brick Road

On major projects, some surprises unfold slowly via ‘work-as-imagined solutioneering’. Based on observations in several industries, Steven Shorrock presents ten traps that we can all fall into.

Why Learn from Everyday Work?

This article is a reproduction of the Editorial published in HindSight magazine issue 31 in December 2020…

Surprises in Healthcare

Surprises in healthcare are common and can have lasting effects on clinicians. Steven Shorrock asked clinicians to reveal aspects of their experience with implications for learning.