The Power of Minor Attention
Cleaning, tightening, checking alignment, or replacing a consumable part requires little effort, yet prevents disproportionate damage.
These actions interrupt failure pathways early, when correction is still cheap.
Why Small Actions Are Skipped
Because they do not produce immediate reward, small maintenance actions compete poorly with urgent tasks.
Their value becomes apparent only when they are absent.
Designing for Ease
When maintenance actions are simple and visible, they are more likely to occur. Complexity discourages care.