Accountability Diffusion — Operational test: Incident reviews show repeated handoffs without a clear decision point.
Operational test "Incident reviews show repeated handoffs without a clear decision point." for Accountability Diffusion in the Failure modes (why Ethotechnics exists) glossary category.
Operational test
Incident reviews show repeated handoffs without a clear decision point.
Use this test to validate operational readiness.
Pair this test with the minimum evidence criteria to capture both qualitative and quantitative signals.
- Evidence artifact: Artifact documenting how Accountability Diffusion is expected, enforced, or governed.
- Behavior signal: Observed behavior showing Accountability Diffusion in practice during real use or drills.
- Metric signal: Metric tracked to monitor Accountability Diffusion performance over time.
Responsibility spreads across teams, vendors, and incentives until no one can intervene. Accountability diffusion erodes design authority and leaves harm without a decisive owner. If no one can unilaterally stop or reverse the harm, accountability is diffused.
B. Failure modes (why Ethotechnics exists). Common patterns where responsibility dissolves and harm accelerates.
Names the structural cause of unowned harm in complex institutions and supply chains.