# How the Titanic sank: a chain of small decisions

> A process map exported from forks.world (https://forks.world). Author: Brian. Source: https://forks.world/p/cmv221wzv0002i206vktbi8q3
> It describes who does what, in what order, and with which technology. Read the plain-language sections first; the JSON at the end is the exact, complete data.

## Summary

- 21 steps across 2 layers
- Persona: Titanic officers and crew, Ice and the sea, Nearby ships, Passengers
- Technology / systems: Radio room

## Pain points

Where this process hurts, worst first:

- **Keep up high speed anyway to stay on schedule** (How the Titanic sank: a chain of small decisions; critical): Warnings were received but not acted on
- **The closest ship had its radio off and does not respond** (How the Titanic sank: a chain of small decisions; critical): A ship that could see her did not come
- **Lifeboats for only about half of the people aboard are launched, many half empty** (How the Titanic sank: a chain of small decisions; critical): There were not enough lifeboats and the crew was not trained to launch them

## How to read this file

- A process is made of **layers**. The main layer is the top level; any step of kind `subprocess` opens a detail layer with its own lanes and steps.
- **Lanes** are either persona (people/roles) or technology (systems). Each step belongs to one lane; `using` lists tools a person uses for that step.
- Step kinds: `start`, `task`, `decision` (its arrows carry the answer as a label), `subprocess`, `end`.

## How the Titanic sank: a chain of small decisions

Lanes:
- Titanic officers and crew: person / role (id `ship`)
- Ice and the sea: person / role (id `ice`)
- Radio room: technology / system (id `radio`)
- Nearby ships: person / role (id `nearby`)
- Passengers: person / role (id `pass`)

Steps, in the order they run:

1. **Leaves Southampton on her maiden voyage to New York** [start; Titanic officers and crew; id `t1`]
   - then Ice warnings arrive from other ships all day
2. **Ice warnings arrive from other ships all day** [task; Radio room; id `t2`]
   - then Keep up high speed anyway to stay on schedule
3. **Keep up high speed anyway to stay on schedule** [task; Titanic officers and crew; id `t3`] ⚠ PAIN POINT (critical): Warnings were received but not acted on
   - then Cold, calm night: no waves breaking at the base of the iceberg
4. **Cold, calm night: no waves breaking at the base of the iceberg** [task; Ice and the sea; id `t4`]
   - then Lookouts spot the iceberg too late with no binoculars
5. **Lookouts spot the iceberg too late with no binoculars** [task; Titanic officers and crew; id `t5`]
   - then Turn hard, but the ship scrapes along the starboard side
6. **Turn hard, but the ship scrapes along the starboard side** [task; Titanic officers and crew; id `t6`]
   - then Plates and rivets give way and water floods five compartments
7. **Plates and rivets give way and water floods five compartments** [subprocess; Ice and the sea; id `t7`], opens the detail layer "Why the flooding could not be stopped"
   - then Is the ship able to stay afloat with five compartments open?
8. **Is the ship able to stay afloat with five compartments open?** [decision; Titanic officers and crew; id `t8`]
   - if "No" go to Sends distress calls and fires rockets; if "Yes" go to The design allowed for four, so this is the failure point
9. **Sends distress calls and fires rockets** [task; Radio room; id `t9`]
   - then Does a nearby ship answer in time?
10. **Does a nearby ship answer in time?** [decision; Nearby ships; id `t10`]
   - if "No" go to The closest ship had its radio off and does not respond; if "Yes" go to Carpathia races through the ice and arrives hours later
11. **The closest ship had its radio off and does not respond** [task; Nearby ships; id `t11`] ⚠ PAIN POINT (critical): A ship that could see her did not come
   - then Lifeboats for only about half of the people aboard are launched, many half empty
12. **Lifeboats for only about half of the people aboard are launched, many half empty** [task; Passengers; id `t13`] ⚠ PAIN POINT (critical): There were not enough lifeboats and the crew was not trained to launch them
   - then The ship breaks apart and sinks at 2:20 in the morning
13. **The ship breaks apart and sinks at 2:20 in the morning** [task; Titanic officers and crew; id `t14`]
   - then Carpathia picks up about 700 survivors
14. **Carpathia picks up about 700 survivors** [task; Nearby ships; id `t15`]
   - then Inquiries lead to new rules: lifeboats for everyone, 24 hour radio watch and an ice patrol
15. **Inquiries lead to new rules: lifeboats for everyone, 24 hour radio watch and an ice patrol** [end; Titanic officers and crew; id `t16`]
16. **Carpathia races through the ice and arrives hours later** [task; Nearby ships; id `t12`]
   - then The ship breaks apart and sinks at 2:20 in the morning
17. **The design allowed for four, so this is the failure point** [task; Titanic officers and crew; id `t8a`]
   - then Sends distress calls and fires rockets

```mermaid
flowchart LR
  subgraph l_ship["Titanic officers and crew"]
    n_t1(["Leaves Southampton on her maiden voyage to New York"])
    n_t3["Keep up high speed anyway to stay on schedule"]
    n_t5["Lookouts spot the iceberg too late with no binoculars"]
    n_t6["Turn hard, but the ship scrapes along the starboard side"]
    n_t8{"Is the ship able to stay afloat with five compartments open?"}
    n_t8a["The design allowed for four, so this is the failure point"]
    n_t14["The ship breaks apart and sinks at 2:20 in the morning"]
    n_t16(["Inquiries lead to new rules: lifeboats for everyone, 24 hour radio watch and an ice patrol"])
  end
  subgraph l_ice["Ice and the sea"]
    n_t4["Cold, calm night: no waves breaking at the base of the iceberg"]
    n_t7[["Plates and rivets give way and water floods five compartments"]]
  end
  subgraph l_radio["Radio room"]
    n_t2["Ice warnings arrive from other ships all day"]
    n_t9["Sends distress calls and fires rockets"]
  end
  subgraph l_nearby["Nearby ships"]
    n_t10{"Does a nearby ship answer in time?"}
    n_t11["The closest ship had its radio off and does not respond"]
    n_t12["Carpathia races through the ice and arrives hours later"]
    n_t15["Carpathia picks up about 700 survivors"]
  end
  subgraph l_pass["Passengers"]
    n_t13["Lifeboats for only about half of the people aboard are launched, many half empty"]
  end
  n_t1 --> n_t2
  n_t2 --> n_t3
  n_t3 --> n_t4
  n_t4 --> n_t5
  n_t5 --> n_t6
  n_t6 --> n_t7
  n_t7 --> n_t8
  n_t8 -->|"No"| n_t9
  n_t8 -->|"Yes"| n_t8a
  n_t8a --> n_t9
  n_t9 --> n_t10
  n_t10 -->|"No"| n_t11
  n_t10 -->|"Yes"| n_t12
  n_t11 --> n_t13
  n_t12 --> n_t14
  n_t13 --> n_t14
  n_t14 --> n_t15
  n_t15 --> n_t16
```

### Why the flooding could not be stopped (detail of step "Plates and rivets give way and water floods five compartments")

Lanes:
- Titanic officers and crew: person / role (id `ship`)
- Ice and the sea: person / role (id `ice`)

Steps, in the order they run:

1. **Water fills the front compartments** [start; Ice and the sea; id `f1`]
   - then Watertight walls go up only to a certain deck
2. **Watertight walls go up only to a certain deck** [task; Titanic officers and crew; id `f2`]
   - then As the bow sinks, water spills over the top into the next compartment
3. **As the bow sinks, water spills over the top into the next compartment** [task; Ice and the sea; id `f3`]
   - then Each compartment fills in turn like an ice cube tray
4. **Each compartment fills in turn like an ice cube tray** [end; Ice and the sea; id `f4`]

```mermaid
flowchart LR
  subgraph l_ship["Titanic officers and crew"]
    n_f2["Watertight walls go up only to a certain deck"]
  end
  subgraph l_ice["Ice and the sea"]
    n_f1(["Water fills the front compartments"])
    n_f3["As the bow sinks, water spills over the top into the next compartment"]
    n_f4(["Each compartment fills in turn like an ice cube tray"])
  end
  n_f1 --> n_f2
  n_f2 --> n_f3
  n_f3 --> n_f4
```

## Full data (JSON)

```json
{
  "title": "How the Titanic sank: a chain of small decisions",
  "maps": {
    "m_root": {
      "id": "m_root",
      "lanes": [
        {
          "id": "ship",
          "name": "Titanic officers and crew",
          "type": "person"
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          "id": "ice",
          "name": "Ice and the sea",
          "type": "person"
        },
        {
          "id": "radio",
          "name": "Radio room",
          "type": "system"
        },
        {
          "id": "nearby",
          "name": "Nearby ships",
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        },
        {
          "id": "pass",
          "name": "Passengers",
          "type": "person"
        }
      ],
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            {
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          "label": "Leaves Southampton on her maiden voyage to New York"
        },
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          "id": "t2",
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            {
              "to": "t3"
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            {
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            }
          ],
          "pain": {
            "note": "Warnings were received but not acted on",
            "level": 3
          },
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Keep up high speed anyway to stay on schedule"
        },
        {
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          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "ice",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "t5"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Cold, calm night: no waves breaking at the base of the iceberg"
        },
        {
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          "uses": [],
          "label": "Lookouts spot the iceberg too late with no binoculars"
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          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "ship",
          "next": [
            {
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            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Turn hard, but the ship scrapes along the starboard side"
        },
        {
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          "kind": "subprocess",
          "lane": "ice",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "t8"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "child": "m_flood",
          "label": "Plates and rivets give way and water floods five compartments"
        },
        {
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          "next": [
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              "label": "No"
            },
            {
              "to": "t8a",
              "label": "Yes"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Is the ship able to stay afloat with five compartments open?"
        },
        {
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          "lane": "ship",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "t9"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "The design allowed for four, so this is the failure point"
        },
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          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "radio",
          "next": [
            {
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            }
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          "uses": [],
          "label": "Sends distress calls and fires rockets"
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          "kind": "decision",
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              "label": "Yes"
            }
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          "uses": [],
          "label": "Does a nearby ship answer in time?"
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          "kind": "task",
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            }
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          "pain": {
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            "level": 3
          },
          "uses": [],
          "label": "The closest ship had its radio off and does not respond"
        },
        {
          "id": "t12",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "nearby",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "t14"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Carpathia races through the ice and arrives hours later"
        },
        {
          "id": "t13",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "pass",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "t14"
            }
          ],
          "pain": {
            "note": "There were not enough lifeboats and the crew was not trained to launch them",
            "level": 3
          },
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Lifeboats for only about half of the people aboard are launched, many half empty"
        },
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          "id": "t14",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "ship",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "t15"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "The ship breaks apart and sinks at 2:20 in the morning"
        },
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          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "nearby",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "t16"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Carpathia picks up about 700 survivors"
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          "kind": "end",
          "lane": "ship",
          "next": [],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Inquiries lead to new rules: lifeboats for everyone, 24 hour radio watch and an ice patrol"
        }
      ],
      "title": "How the Titanic sank: a chain of small decisions",
      "parent": null
    },
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          "id": "ship",
          "name": "Titanic officers and crew",
          "type": "person"
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        {
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          "name": "Ice and the sea",
          "type": "person"
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      "steps": [
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          "kind": "start",
          "lane": "ice",
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          "uses": [],
          "label": "Water fills the front compartments"
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          "uses": [],
          "label": "Watertight walls go up only to a certain deck"
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            {
              "to": "f4"
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          "uses": [],
          "label": "As the bow sinks, water spills over the top into the next compartment"
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          "id": "f4",
          "kind": "end",
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          "next": [],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Each compartment fills in turn like an ice cube tray"
        }
      ],
      "title": "Why the flooding could not be stopped",
      "parent": {
        "map": "m_root",
        "step": "t7"
      }
    }
  }
}
```