ABSTRACT
Perhaps the reason why studies of human error have not made as much impact as they might is due to the way in which society views the subject matter. People often blame themselves, or others, for error as everyday experience suggests that individuals see shortcomings in themselves when they commit errors. In the short term it is often cheaper to blame the human part of the system (e.g. it is easier to suggest that the user is stupid rather than redesign the machines). In the long term this perspective trivializes the problems and frustrations people experience in their interaction with artefacts (Reason, 1990).
