Allow for a margin for error
Summary
- Allow for a margin for error
Details
- This allows for unpredictable or unforseen circumstances
References
Quotes
A margin of safety is often necessary to ensure systems can handle stressors and unpredictable circumstances. This means there is a meaningful gap between what a system is capable of handling and what it is required to handle. A margin of safety is a buffer between safety and danger, order and chaos, success and failure. It ensures a system does not swing from one to the other too easily, causing damage.
For example, engineers know to design for extremes, not averages. In engineering, it’s necessary to consider the most something might need to handle—then add on an extra buffer. If 5,000 cars are going to drive across a bridge on an average day, it would be unwise to construct it to be capable of handling precisely that number.