bruksmildighet

Bruksmildighet is a concept used in Swedish-language discourse to describe the degree of leniency or forgiving behavior embedded in a system or regulation when it is used in practice. The term is formed from bruk (use, application) and mildighet (mildness, leniency). It refers to how tolerant a design, policy, or process is of human error, ambiguity, or variability in real-world use, and how well it guides users toward correct outcomes without punitive consequences for minor missteps.

In design and technology, bruksmildighet is closely related to usability and forgiving design. Systems with high bruksmildighet provide intuitive interactions, forgiving error handling (such as helpful messages and undo functionality), and safety margins that prevent disproportionate penalties for novice or occasional users. In administrative or legal contexts, the term can describe the pragmatic leniency exercised by authorities to avoid over-penalizing standard, low-risk behavior.

Use of the concept varies by field and is often discussed in studies of human–machine interaction, risk management, and policy design. Critics warn that excessive bruksmildighet can reduce accountability or obscure norms, while proponents argue that it improves efficiency and user experience when appropriately calibrated.

See also: usability, forgiving design, leniency, human–machine interaction.