Normalization of Deviance
Table of Contents
Repeated close calls slowly redefine 'normal' until disaster feels surprising but was predictable.
Key Concept
- The third unchallenged shortcut is the warning - not the accident that finally forces a meeting.
- Heed Every Near-Miss logs each close call; Blameless After-Action Review when “nobody died” cannot end the talk.
- By the fourth or fifth time, the shortcut is not even a decision anymore - it is just how things are done here.
Level 1 - Recognize
Normalization of deviance is when unchallenged shortcuts become normal before the accident forces a meeting.
Level 2 - Explain
Like ignoring three smoke smells until the house is on fire, the third unchallenged skip is the signal - by the fifth, nobody even decides anymore.
Level 3 - Use
Log the near miss the first time - Heed Every Near-Miss before the shortcut stops feeling like a choice.
Level 4 - Connect
By the fourth or fifth time, the shortcut is just how things are done here - close calls stop getting recorded and Failure as Feedback dies.
Level 5 - Create
Create a near-miss rule that triggers Blameless After-Action Review before an accident, then extend it whenever a repeated shortcut starts disappearing into normal work.
Examples
- Third time someone ran the red light in the parking lot and nobody wrote it up - glad the fender bender finally broke the drift before someone got hurt worse.
- Third time we let the ladder stay on the stairs and nobody moved it - until someone tripped carrying laundry.
Note Relationships
| Relationship | Wikilink | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| contradicts | Blameless After-Action Review | when “nobody died” ends the conversation without an after-action review |
| contradicts | Failure as Feedback | when the opposite frame fits better |
| extends | Heed Every Near-Miss | Log the third shortcut before it becomes normal |
