In this episode, we explore how understanding "local rationality"—the idea that people make decisions that make sense to them in the moment—can improve diving safety and team performance. Using the story of a 91-year-old woman who "completed" a crossword art piece in a museum, believing it was interactive, we see how context shapes our actions. This concept is critical in diving, where incidents are often judged in hindsight, ignoring the pressures, norms, and limited information divers faced. By approaching errors with curiosity rather than blame, we can better understand and prevent future mishaps in diving and beyond.

Original blog: https://www.thehumandiver.com/blog/local-rationality-why-an-old-lady-vandalised-art-and-how-to-improve-diving-safety

Links: BBC report about “vandalism”: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-36796581

Mod 1 CCR bailout: https://www.divingincidents.org/reports/136

Diving with out of date cells: https://cognitasresearch.wordpress.com/2015/05/04/ccr-incident-feb-2013-double-cell-failure-human-factors-inquest-report/

Tags:  English, Communication, Decision Making, Gareth Lock, Human Error, Human Factors