An order for an important customer is running behind and Jonathan, the foreman, is feeling under the gun. It is his responsibility to manage the warehouse workers and get all of the orders packed on time — especially the ones marked “URGENT.” He has always been a conscientious employee and wants the company to meet its obligations. He is determined to get this one done, too. As he walks down the side aisle in the warehouse, he is watching the pick-and-pack line on his right that is idle, and he is stewing about the delay. The tablet computer he is carrying clearly shows the schedule and how far behind they are.
It is an unfortunate but predictable outcome that Jonathan will not hear the backup alarm of the forklift coming from the left down the main aisle or see it coming. It is also predictable that the forklift driver’s attention will be focused on his path, his destination, and the unstable load he is carrying. This is due to a phenomenon called inattention blindness. The basic premise of inattention blindness is that when an employee (or anyone) is focusing their attention on one thing, they are less likely to notice something else that appears, even if it is right in front of them. For a fantastic example, check out the Selective Attention Test video on YouTube1. It is funny and scary at the same time because of how well it works.