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 • Confirmation • Constraint • Visibility