The devastation in Tai Po has left our city in mourning. Like many of you, I am heartbroken by the loss of life.
Experts have noted that the bamboo scaffolding itself likely wasn’t the primary culprit. While I have always admired bamboo for its flexibility and strength, this tragedy highlights a critical truth: structural integrity alone is not enough.
This offers a sobering reflection for the technology sector.
We often obsess over the “Bamboo” – our core logic, algorithms, and new AI features. Meanwhile, we treat the “Netting” – our security guardrails and compliance, as secondary wrappers.
But as this tragedy reminds us, system integrity isn’t just about the skeleton. It is also about the quality of the protection.
- The Bamboo (Core): The functionality we build. It must be resilient.
- The Netting (Protection): The governance we apply. If this layer is substandard or implemented merely to “pass inspection,” it doesn’t just fail to protect – it can become a hidden accelerant for disaster.
True engineering artistry isn’t just about building high; it’s about ensuring that every layer, especially those meant to keep people safe, is real, resilient, and fire-tested.
(Image: A photo I took years ago in Tsim Sha Tsui, a somber reminder today that the core holds strong only when the layers around it are sound.)
#EngineeringSafety #SoftwareArchitecture #RiskManagement
M.Y. Lessons Learnt 