When a component or product fails, the consequences can range from embarrassing defects to serious safety hazards. Thinking ahead, “If this fails, what happens?” can save lives, avoid recalls, and build trust in your brand.
In this episode (Ep. 294), Adrian and Renaud unpack real-world lessons from Tesla doors, aviation, and everyday gadgets to show you how to embed safety into design from Day 1.
Listen to the audio here or on Apple Podcasts · Spotify · Amazon Podcasts · Deezer · iHeartRADIO · TuneIn.
Fail-safe design isn’t optional; it’s essential. At every stage of product development, ask “If this fails, what happens to the user?” and build in protection before that failure ever occurs.
Episode sections
Here’s a preview of what this episode covers:
- 00:01:00 – Tesla door handle fail-safe issue
- 00:05:55 – Structured thinking in fail-safe design
- 00:07:21 – Designing with users in mind
- 00:09:02 – Risk analysis methods: FMEA & fault tree analysis
- 00:11:10 – Catastrophic failures & extreme examples
- 00:12:18 – Everyday product applications
- …and much more!
To explore all of the topics covered in detail, hit play on the episode to listen to them all!
Further reading
- Fail Safe Design Principles & Examples | Product Risk Reduction
- Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 Near Disaster! Quality & Reliability Issues?
- Why Product Safety, Quality, and Reliability Are Tightly Linked
- Tesla’s Cybertruck Debacle: Reliability, Politics, & Plummeting Sales [Podcast]
- We can do your manufacturing at Agilian Technology
