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How to ThinkIn the Age of AI
Definitionv1DF-459

Execution errors

errors that occur when you knew what to do and had the right plan, but something went wrong in the doing. You forgot a step, made a mechanical mistake, or lost focus at the critical moment.

Why This Is a Definition

This definition precisely establishes the semantic boundary of 'execution errors' by identifying its genus (errors of cognitive failure) and differentia (knowing what to do and having the right plan, but failing in execution). It distinguishes execution errors from slips, lapses, and mistakes by specifying that the knowledge and plan were correct but execution misfired, and provides clear examples of mechanical failures and attention lapses.