Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford Wrong Tools Cost Lives
May 21, 2021
The podcast dives into the British Government's overly optimistic promise of a contact tracing system during the COVID-19 pandemic, revealing a critical failure involving outdated Excel software. It highlights the disastrous consequences of using unsuitable tools, leading to unreported cases and critical data loss. The discussion extends to the importance of effective communication in healthcare, with historical anecdotes on vaccination strategies. Ultimately, it stresses the dire need for precision in data management to avoid severe public health implications.
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UK Contact Tracing Failure
- The UK government promised a "world-beating" COVID contact tracing system.
- It failed because 16,000 cases disappeared from an Excel spreadsheet.
Early Spreadsheets
- In 1396, Francesco di Marco Datini used spreadsheets to manage his complex textile business.
- Double-entry bookkeeping helped him track transactions and prevent losses.
VisiCalc Invention
- Dan Bricklin invented VisiCalc, the first spreadsheet program, in 1978.
- Inspired by his accounting professor, he saw the potential of automating calculations.
