#107: Dr Wally's 'Parting Shot' #6

Here is Dr Wally’s Parting Shot #6: Every system has an error rate.

This is not the same as Murphy’s Law which states that if anything can go wrong, it will. This is about the fact that systems are inherently unstable. There are two main reasons for this — nothing is perfect and things change. This instability can result in random errors, making it almost impossible to trace the cause – and also making any attempt to do so a waste of time and effort.

So, what should you do when a random error strikes? Be prepared to react and to make adjustments. Above all, don’t become frustrated. Instead, be resilient. Be willing to adapt and to carry on.

You may never find the cause of a random error. But if you do, then you must fix it. Because, as Orlando Battista pointed out, "An error doesn't become a mistake until you refuse to correct it."


I’m james@nonsenseatwork.com

Copyright: 2007 James Henry McIntosh

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