2 docs tagged with "safety"

Automation Bias is the tendency to over-rely on automated systems and algorithms, trusting their outputs even when they conflict with other evidence or human judgment. First documented by researchers at NASA in the 1990s, this mental model explains why pilots crash planes despite clear warning signs, why traders lose fortunes by blindly following algorithms, and why users trust AI-generated content without verification. Understanding Automation Bias allows organizations to design safer human-machine systems and individuals to maintain critical thinking in an increasingly automated world.

Root Cause Analysis (RCA) is a systematic process for identifying the fundamental causes of problems — not just their symptoms — so that interventions prevent recurrence rather than merely resolving the immediate incident. Developed in industrial safety and quality management, RCA has become standard practice in healthcare, software engineering, aviation, and organisational management for post-incident learning.