We Need to Stop Saying “Human Error.” The People Aren’t the Problem — the System Is.
- Edward Brathwaite
- Mar 10
- 1 min read
Every time we label an incident as “another human error,” we stop learning.The people on the plant floor aren’t the weak link — they’re the ones holding the system together, often despite its flaws.
In our Caribbean operations, we’ve learned to make do.But in high-risk industries, making do isn’t resourcefulness — it’s a warning sign.
When a procedure is unclear, or a control panel is labeled like a crossword puzzle, you haven’t designed a reliable process.You’ve designed a trap.
As Don Norman said in The Design of Everyday Things,
“If an error occurs, blame the system design, not the user.”
Confusion is a design problem, not a discipline problem.
The Leadership Imperative
Our role as leaders is to build error-tolerant systems — ones that assume human fallibility and absorb it gracefully.
That means clear boundaries, intuitive controls, and feedback loops that help people succeed without needing heroics.When slips happen, the system should catch them — not the supervisor.
That’s what real resilience looks like.
Question for reflection:Where in your operation are people still “making do” because the system is fighting them?
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