Black Box Thinking

Matthew Syed’s ‘Black Box Thinking’ (2016) posits that how we react to failure is key to success. He uses the analogy of black boxes used on aeroplanes to convey his idea as they record data to ensure that when mistakes happen, procedures can be changed so that the same error never happens again. This resonates particularly well with me as I believe this kind of reflection is key to the success of both teacher and student.

Syed explains a ‘closed loop’ is where failure doesn’t lead to progress because information on errors and weaknesses is misinterpreted or ignored; an ‘open loop’ does lead to progress because feedback is rationally acted upon. Closed loops occur for a variety of reasons; two of the most common are the stigmatism of mistakes and social hierarchies, both of which I believe negatively affect education.

Syed suggests we look again to the aviation industry for solutions. In aviation, “Mistakes are not stigmatised, but regarded as learning opportunities. The interested parties are given every reason to cooperate since the evidence compiled by the accident investigation is inadmissible in court proceedings. This increases the likelihood of full disclosure.” This suggests the importance of creating a classroom environment where students feel comfortable disclosing their mistakes, so we can all learn from them. For me, it reinforces for me the importance of praising students’ efforts, not their outcomes. A focus on outcomes will create a fear of failure and stop learning opportunities from mistakes.

The concept is also of relevance to professional development; an environment of ‘safe disclosure’ is equally as important for staff to learn from their peers. Arguably, part of what inhibits this is the strict hierarchy in schools. When staff speak to more senior colleagues, they do so in mitigated language and are often afraid to say they feel a mistake is being made because of the hierarchy. Syed states: “checklists have been established as a means of preventing over-sights in the face of complexity. But they also flatten hierarchy [and] open channels of communication.” This highlights the importance of success criteria in lessons and clear policies for staff.