Revista de Engenharia da Computação e Tecnologia da Informação

Different Types of Thinkers Should Work Together to Prevent Dangerous Problems

Temple Grandin

Scientific research shows that there are three basic thinking types. They are thinking in photo realistic pictures (object visualizer), patterns (visual spatial) and verbal. Engineers and computer programmers are mostly pattern thinkers. People who think in pictures should be added to engineering teams to help design safety systems. They can easily imagine possible accidents more easily. The author, who is a visual thinker, recommends that vital safety systems can be made hacker proof by using nonprogrammable components and having mechanical switches to enable manual shutoff of the power supply.