What can we do to minimise mistakes at work?

Answer 1

Document and standardize your procedures, especially ones that you perform frequently or that have high error rates.

Answer 2

People make mistakes -- it is that simple. Even good people make mistakes.

The entire software development process used in most serious organisations is built around the principle that mistakes will happen. Reviews of designs, reviews of code, and the testing of products are all based on the assumption that people make mistakes.

Very few organisations develop with 100% test coverage because the overheads generally are not a good trade off to make in terms of investment. Complete test coverage is difficult -- and requires a substantial investment that doesn't directly generate revenue.

So how do you know which software (or hardware) you should trust?

Without reading the source code yourself, or going through the entire testing procedure and examining coverage and review levels -- or being a security expert -- you really are just operating based on the reputation of the organisation involved. You are putting your (blind) faith in their processes and procedures.

Yet companies change; processes change; and staff within those companies change. And every one of these shifts has a direct impact on the trust you should be placing in any products produced.

So, as long as you accept that 1. you are placing trust in the reputation of a development organization, 2. that mistakes can and will occur, and 3. that your trust should not be absolute -- then you are less likely to be surprised.

Open-source as a model has a number of benefits in this situation. You can see the source, the process whereby development occurs, and make your own assessment of the reliability of a particular process. However the rapid nature of open-source development also means that, in general, releases occur more frequently and the testing approach is often ad hoc. Generally speaking, developers working on open-source are doing so in their "spare" time -- and it is not unheard-of for short cuts to be taken. Compromises in terms of process and quality do occur (as they do in non-open-source models).

Having your source code "open" doesn't really alter anything substantial in terms of your ability to trust the resulting products. There are numerous examples of bugs with serious security implications surviving in open source products for long periods of time. Many eyes do not a secure product make; detailed analysis is required and that takes dedication and expertise.

The bottom line is this: what you are placing your trust in are the processes used in an organisation. One measure to use for doing this is to question what the likely impact on the organisation or the individuals involved would be if and when mistakes became publicly known. The motivation to minimise mistakes making it out into products can be directly linked to this impact and its anticipated consequences.

Know what you are trusting!

Answer 3

Try to focus on one task at a time. If in doubt ask questions. Bounce ideas off coworkers. Double check and maybe get a coworker to check. Don't begin a project until everyone involved is on the same page. Take time to fully understand the project and what needs to be done. Eat healthy, stay physically fit, and get plenty of rest so you will stay clear headed.

Answer 4

1. Be extremely cautious.
2. Double check everything.
3. Concentrate on the task.
4. Dont ponder over thoughts related to personal life.

Answer 5

relax and don't make your employees nervous b/c the more nervous someone is, the more likely it is that they will make mistakes. put them in an environment that will be as stress free as possible. get employees and keep the good ones for a long time so they can get to know the ropes better and better. be understanding and compassionate when someone does make a mistake, but also show them what they did wrong and how to fix it.

and most of all, relax!

Answer 6

Watch Spaceballs

Answer 7

be more alert !....lol...i cant believe im giving u this advice...coz i make the worst and biggest mistakes in my work...i have been getting a lot of warning recently...lol....anywayz i dont care..coz i mite leave my present job soon....
but if u really need that job...plz b more alert..and keep reminders in ur fone for anything important....write a list of things in word or notepad...and make it a point to read it every morning....and complete the task...

wish u luck

Answer 8

I agree with King of Babylon's answer. Yes always use spell check or ask someone if your not sure.

Answer 9

Use spell check and stop answering Yahoo questions!

Answer 10

Where I work, we proofread each others work in the same dept. sometimes one person catches something that someone else may have missed.