Design Quote by Douglas Adams
“A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Salmon of Doubt, 2002
Designing foolproof systems fails because clever people exploit unexpected loopholes.
In simple terms: Foolproof designs are vulnerable to clever misuse.
Key Takeaway
Anticipate creative misuse.
Themes
design
human error
creativity
risk management
Mood
cautious
analytical
Type
advisory
warning
When to use this quote
- product development
- software security
- policy making
- engineering design
Key Concepts
systems thinking
unintended consequences
innovation
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you test for unknown misuse?
- What assumptions are you making about user behavior?
A Different Perspective
Even with safeguards, unpredictable behavior can still cause failure.
![“Does God know he [exists]?" "Of course he does. Otherwise, you could not have asked the question, and I could not have answered.” quote by Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a21/douglas-adams-122_courses_does-god-know-he-exists-of-course-he-doe_26187.jpg)
