{"id":44463,"date":"2018-05-31T10:43:00","date_gmt":"2018-05-31T14:43:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/caireadydev1.wpenginepowered.com\/life-sciences\/cai-human-error-and-uncertainty\/"},"modified":"2025-06-21T17:54:45","modified_gmt":"2025-06-21T21:54:45","slug":"human-error-and-uncertainty","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/caiready.com\/life-sciences\/blog\/human-error-and-uncertainty\/","title":{"rendered":"Human Error and Uncertainty"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Why competent people make costly errors, and how to address it.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<div><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 600px; margin: 0px auto; display: block;\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn2.hubspot.net\/hubfs\/705173\/dreamstime_s_34159641.jpg\" alt=\"dreamstime_s_34159641\" width=\"600\" \/><\/div>\n<p>What causes competent people to perform below their potential &#8211; making errors or inhibiting productivity?<\/p>\n<p>WAIT!\u00a0 Before answering too quickly, think about the purpose of <em>automation<\/em>.\u00a0 We automate processes to reduce variability, thus reducing delays and errors to ultimately save cost.\u00a0 Automation replaces human actions with programming logic.\u00a0 So, what is it about human actions that programming removes?<\/p>\n<p>One answer: \u00a0<em>uncertainty.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>If we could prescribe certainty of choice under all conditions within the minds of each person, then we would reduce the primary cause of human error and delay.<\/p>\n<p>So, let\u2019s get started\u2026<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #005d83;\">Step 1:<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0 Identify the sources of uncertainty by asking, \u201cHow does a person\u2019s mind differ from a program?\u201d \u00a0Your responses may include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Unclear task definition<\/strong> \u2013 the task logic hasn\u2019t been fully programmed into the mind. A person in this situation may simply freeze up, make an error while trying to do the right thing, or move to a more comfortable task of lower priority.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Unclear or competing priorities<\/strong> \u2013 the programmed logic has multiple, and possibly divergent, inputs. <em>Executive: \u201cIt\u2019s all about quality\u2026get it right the first time!\u201d\u00a0 Supervisor: \u201cWe\u2019re behind schedule\u2026get it moving!\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 The performer is forced to make a trade-off decision, and likely under pressure.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Uncertainty on how to proceed<\/strong> during abnormal circumstances \u2013 the program does not consider all possible paths. A person\u2019s choices are less predictable, with a higher probability of error.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Ambiguity regarding responsibility or authority<\/strong> to proceed \u2013 as if the program simply ends when a decision is not pre-determined. <em>Not my job; that\u2019s above my pay grade.<\/em>\u00a0 Again, the person may either proceed with insufficient perspective, or, more likely, not proceed.\u00a0 This leads to significant delays while seeking clearer permission.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Insufficient or inaccessible guidance<\/strong> in the moment \u2013 can\u2019t access the data or instruction to proceed. <em>I\u2019m sure you\u2019ve seen poorly written or absurdly complex SOPs.<\/em>\u00a0 A person will often rely upon personal experience, which is highly variable and open to error.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn2.hubspot.net\/hubfs\/705173\/Blog\/46781221_ml.jpg\" alt=\"46781221_ml\" \/><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"color: #005d83;\"><strong>Step 2:<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0 Address these sources of uncertainty:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Define:<\/strong> People need to know what is expected of them.\u00a0 Ensure all stakeholders are aligned on the purpose of each role, i.e. what outcome this person is assigned to achieve.\u00a0 Then, determine the critical tasks and priorities that enable the person to achieve the outcome.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Communicate:<\/strong> Ensure the critical tasks and priorities are clear to the person assigned to the role.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Train:<\/strong> Ok, so we all know that training is not the catch-all solution for human error.\u00a0 That doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s <em>never<\/em> the solution.\u00a0 In fact, impactful, behavior-changing training <em>must<\/em> be part of the solution. \u00a0Trainings often fall short due to lack of clarity of purpose and lack of exposure to real circumstances.\u00a0 One key objective of training is to prepare the performer to handle a variety of circumstances, thus addressing the <em>uncertainties<\/em> described above.\u00a0 Here is where training can deliberately overcome <em>uncertainty<\/em>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<blockquote>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Lack of knowledge<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\">\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0A lack of specific knowledge of the task or process leads to errors. These are to be expected while learning through performance, yet they should diminish with experience.\u00a0 Training should accelerate this process.<\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\">\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Since perfection is unachievable, a lack of awareness of priorities and their relative impact leaves the performer to make risky trade-off decisions. Training should provide clarity of priorities and a focus on desired outcomes amidst competing distractions.<\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\">\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0A lack of broader knowledge inhibits one\u2019s ability to handle abnormal or unfamiliar situations. Training should provide a breadth of useful perspectives (think system or process knowledge).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li>Lack of experience\n<ul>\n<li>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Good training is not conceptual, it is practical. Attendees should learn <em>how<\/em> to perform functions to achieve expected outcomes.\u00a0 Attendees should also be exposed to all aspects of the equipment, system, processes, and workflows, such that a qualified person can overcome an abnormal condition or outcome.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Qualify:<\/strong> Good training provides the people with knowledge, exposure, and a certain degree of controlled experience.\u00a0 A rigorous qualification program confirms understanding and the ability to apply in the real world.\u00a0 While qualifying, the person performs under steadily decreasing guidance.\u00a0 <em>Apprenticeship<\/em> is an ancient and effective approach, and a model that is still relevant today.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Guide:<\/strong> The supervisor\u2019s most important role is to maintain the focus of the performer \u2013 removing barriers and distractions from the critical tasks and priorities.\u00a0 When <em>uncertainty<\/em> inhibits performance, readily available guidance provides relief.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Try following this logic with a human error situation you know well.\u00a0 See if you can identify sources of uncertainty.\u00a0 Does this broaden your perspective of the root cause and help bring focus to your solution?<\/p>\n<p>Will you be at BIO2018? Make sure to visit us at Booth #1735 to discuss your ideas surrounding human error and uncertainty.<\/p>\n<p>Want to read more on Human Performance topics?<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/caiready.com\/life-sciences\/blog\/performance-improvement-strategies-that-work-0\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Human Performance Strategies That WORK<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/caiready.com\/life-sciences\/blog\/training-usually-isnt-the-answer\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Training Usually Isn&#8217;t the Answer<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/caiready.com\/life-sciences\/blog\/i-stuck-my-hand-in-the-stopper-bowl\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">I Stuck my Hand in the Stopper Bowl<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Why competent people make costly errors, and how to address it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[142],"tags":[],"resource-featured-status":[],"resource-type":[819],"class_list":["post-44463","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general-human-performance-training","resource-type-blog"],"acf":[],"featured_image_src":null,"featured_image_src_square":null,"author_info":{"display_name":"mikeviele","author_link":"https:\/\/caiready.com\/life-sciences\/blog\/author\/mikeviele\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/caiready.com\/life-sciences\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44463","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/caiready.com\/life-sciences\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/caiready.com\/life-sciences\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/caiready.com\/life-sciences\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/caiready.com\/life-sciences\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=44463"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/caiready.com\/life-sciences\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44463\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/caiready.com\/life-sciences\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=44463"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/caiready.com\/life-sciences\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=44463"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/caiready.com\/life-sciences\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=44463"},{"taxonomy":"resource-featured-status","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/caiready.com\/life-sciences\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resource-featured-status?post=44463"},{"taxonomy":"resource-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/caiready.com\/life-sciences\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resource-type?post=44463"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}