Will we ever learn: Case studies of rhetorical errors and effective rhetorical strategies in written communication-from the challenger accident to the BP/Horizon Oil Rig disaster to the 2011 Mississippi flood

Failures in written communication have been cited as partial causes of The Columbia and Challenger disasters and the BP/Horizon Gulf Oil Rig explosion. An analysis of the documents seems to indicate that engineers lack rhetorical strategies to counter the culture of an organization and challenge managerial decisions. The analysis indicates that the documents are writer-rather than reader-based. In contrast, when writers select rhetorical devices that consider the reader´s knowledge, reading processes and styles, as occurred in the letters sent to residents during the 2011 Mississippi flood, there is an increased likelihood that a message will achieve its goal. The presentation will discuss rhetorical failures and successes and suggest rhetorical strategies for writers to use to achieve effective communication, regardless of the culture and political/economic environment of an organization. The presentation will also recommend ways to help students, engineers and technical writers use these strategies effectively.