Defensive design - Wikipedia

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
Find sources: "Defensive design" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (June 2019) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

File:Idiot proof paper cutting machine.jpg

Paper cutting machine with two buttons required to be pressed simultaneously to cut the paper. A defensive design to prevent the operator from cutting their own hands.

Defensive design is the practice of planning for contingencies in the design stage of a project or undertaking. Essentially, it is the practice of anticipating all possible ways that an end-user could misuse a device, and designing the device so as to make such misuse impossible, or to minimize the negative consequences. For example, if it is important that a plug is inserted into a socket in a particular orientation, the socket and plug should be designed so that it is physically impossible to insert the plug incorrectly. Power sockets are often keyed in such a manner, to prevent the transposition of live and neutral.

Defensive design in software engineering is called defensive programming. Murphy's law is a well-known statement of the need for defensive design, and also of its ultimate limitations.

Examples

Many electrical connectors apply this principle by being asymmetric.

References

Design

Disciplines

Communication design	Advertising Book design Brand design Exhibit design Film title design Graphic design Motion Postage stamp design Print design Illustration Information design Instructional design News design Photography Retail design Signage / Traffic sign design Typography / Type design Video design Visual merchandising
Environmental design	Architecture Architectural lighting design Building design Passive solar Ecological design Environmental impact design Garden design Computer-aided Healthy community design Hotel design Interior architecture Interior design EID Keyline design Landscape architecture Sustainable Landscape design Spatial design Urban design
Industrial design	Automotive design Automotive suspension design CMF design Corrugated box design Electric guitar design Furniture design Sustainable Hardware interface design Motorcycle design Packaging and labeling Photographic lens design Product design Production design Sensory design Service design
Interaction design	Experience design EED Game design Level design Video game design Hardware interface design Icon design Immersive design Information design Sonic interaction design User experience design User interface design Web design
Other applied arts	Public art design Ceramic / glass design Fashion design Costume design Jewellery design Floral design Game art design Property design Scenic design Sound design Stage/set lighting design Textile design
Other design & engineering	Algorithm design Behavioural design Boiler design Database design Drug design Electrical system design Experimental design Filter design Geometric design Work design Integrated circuit design Circuit design Physical design Power network design Mechanism design Nuclear weapon design Nucleic acid design Organization design Process design Processor design Protein design Research design Social design Software design Spacecraft design Strategic design Systems design

Approaches

Tools
Intellectual property
Organizations
Awards

Tools	AAD Architectural model Blueprint Comprehensive layout CAD CAID Virtual home design software CAutoD Design quality indicator Electronic design automation Flowchart Mockup Design specification Prototype Sketch Storyboard Technical drawing HTML editor Website wireframe
Intellectual property	Community design Design around Design infringement Design patent Fashion design copyright Geschmacksmuster Industrial design rights European Union
Organizations	American Institute of Graphic Arts Chartered Society of Designers Design and Industries Association Design Council International Forum Design Design Research Society
Awards	European Design Award German Design Award Good Design Award (Museum of Modern Art) Good Design Award (Chicago Athenaeum) Graphex IF Product Design Award James Dyson Award Prince Philip Designers Prize

Examples

See also

References