# Normalization of Deviance > Normalization of deviance is a term first coined by sociologist [[Diane Vaughan]] when reviewing the [[Challenger disaster]]. Vaughan noted that the root cause of the Challenger disaster was related to the repeated choice of [[NASA]] officials to fly the [[space shuttle]] despite a dangerous design flaw with the O-rings. Vaughan describes this phenomenon as occurring ==when people within an organization become so insensitive to deviant practice that it no longer feels wrong.==