Poka-Yoke (Error-Proofing)

Biological Parallel

DNA replication includes multiple poka-yoke mechanisms: DNA polymerase proofreads each nucleotide insertion, mismatch repair proteins scan for errors post-replication, and checkpoint proteins halt cell division if damage is detected. This multi-layer error-proofing achieves 1 error per 10 billion base pairs—99.9999999% accuracy. Enzyme active sites are shaped to accept only specific substrates (like a keyed electrical outlet), making errors physically impossible rather than merely unlikely. Poka-yoke is biology's default: evolution selects for systems where mistakes can't happen, not systems that catch mistakes after they occur.