Foutenkans

Foutenkans is a Dutch term that denotes the probability or likelihood of making an error in a given task, decision, or procedure. The word combines fout (error) and kans (chance or probability). In practice, foutenkans is used to describe the risk of an incorrect outcome and is related to concepts such as error rate, defect rate, or false-alarm rate. The exact meaning and method of measurement differ by discipline, and it is not a formal statistical term with a single universal definition across fields.

The term is commonly used in quality management, human factors, and risk assessment to quantify the impact of mistakes and to guide interventions such as training, automation, standardization, or checks. It can be estimated from observed data, experiments, or expert judgment, and is often expressed as a probability (for example, a 2% foutenkans per operation) or as a rate (for example, 0.02 errors per transaction). Factors that influence foutenkans include task complexity, user experience, tool support, time pressure, and environmental conditions.

Foutenkans is related to other statistical concepts such as error rate, false positive rate, and type I/II errors in decision theory. In practice, reducing foutenkans is a common objective in quality improvement and safety engineering, achieved through design changes, training, redundancy, and error-proofing approaches. The term appears primarily in Dutch-language materials and is used variably depending on context.