042 Errors
An action or omission of action yielding an unintended result.
• There are three categories of error: slips, mistakes, and lapses.
• Slips occur when an action is not what was intended; for example, when a person intends to press one button but accidentally presses another.
• Mistakes occur when an intention is incorrect; for example, when a nurse interprets an alarm incorrectly and then administers the wrong medicine.
• Lapses occur when an action is forgotten for example, when a pilot forgets to lower landing gear for landing.
• Minimize slips using affordances, confirmations, and constraints. Minimize mistakes using clear feedback, mappings, and training. Minimize lapses using alarms, checklists, and visibility.
See Also Affordance ...
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