Security quote of the week [LWN.net]

Security quote of the week

Posted Sep 17, 2021 17:12 UTC (Fri) by Wol (subscriber, #4433)
In reply to: Security quote of the week by Cyberax
Parent article: Security quote of the week

> > Ah, of course the only checks and balances on medical research should be from medical researchers, and anyone without a degree and background experience in medical chemistry is not entitled to an opinion on the matter

> That is pretty much correct. You have no knowledge of the field, yet do not hesitate to make proclamations demanding its complete restructuring.

What you are missing, is that it is proven scientific fact that committees, made up of experts, do significantly WORSE at "getting things right", than committees containing a sizeable minority of lay people.

Okay, it's my personal opinion, but as the pandemic has gone on it seems clear that Chris Whitty - our national expert - has become significantly more doom-laden as the outlook has brightened - he's been taken in by his own propaganda ...

Cheers,
Wol

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Security quote of the week

Posted Oct 6, 2021 19:34 UTC (Wed) by Relk (guest, #136131) [Link] (1 responses)

Any readings or links on the research done about the effectiveness of committees of experts vs lay people? Seems really interesting!

Security quote of the week

Posted Oct 6, 2021 20:42 UTC (Wed) by Wol (subscriber, #4433) [Link]

Don't know any links, but I think the research was done in the financial arena. And it's basic psychology. It's *important* to include outsiders and women.

The more your team is composed of male "experts", the more likely they are to re-inforce each others prejudices and biases, and end up going down a disastrous rabbit hole.

Women are far more likely to seek outside advice.

Outsiders are far more likely to question the experts' beliefs. (If you know me on LWN, look at how I'm quite happy to challenge well-known names. Sometimes I make a fool of myself, sometimes I'm bang on the money, and I hope the linux guys take another look at what they're doing. At the end of the day, I'm calling out what looks to me like bullshit. Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't, but a second look is hopefully good value ...)

Both, if the women and outsiders have sufficient clout, result in far better decision making.

Very noticeable when dealing with company boards and non-exec directors. Outsider non-execs who take their role seriously are strongly associated with good performance of their companies. Weak and/or puppet non-execs and execs are strongly associated with rockets - the performance looks wonderful until they explode ...

But there is research, as far as I am aware, that says these insights are real elsewhere as well.

Cheers,
Wol