Mistake-Proofing in Everyday Life

Often we take it for granted, but mistake-proofing is all around us.

• Things we use everyday have been mistake-proofed.
• While many products or processes are mistake-proofed for safety reasons, safety is not always the reason to mistake-proof.
• Some things are mistake-proofed to make the product work properly, to make it easier to use or easier to put together.

Mistake-proofing does not necessarily require extensive engineering efforts each time a problem is being tackled.

• A simple idea can be a great way to mistake-proof a problem.

Sometimes, mistake-proofing means action will be initiated automatically as part of the process itself; sometimes we will get a signal alerting us to take action.