# Small Error Spreads Into Large Failure

## Ontology Metadata

Code: ISS-0093
Version: ISS-0093@0.1.0
Ontology release: 0.1.0
Updated: 2026-05-10T00:00:00Z
Canonical URL: /workbench/issues/small-error-spreads-into-large-failure/

## Summary

A small AI, output, routing, or workflow error propagates through later steps until it becomes a larger failure.

## Category

- CAT-0110 — Spread & Escalation
  - URL: /workbench/categories/spread-and-escalation/
  - Summary: Problems where small errors, local exceptions, risk signals, retries, permissions, or outputs spread downstream, grow in consequence, or trigger broader actions.

## Primary Pattern

- PAT-0360 — Propagation Amplification
  - URL: /workbench/patterns/propagation-amplification/
  - Summary: A structural condition where an effect, declaration, authority, constraint, or state increases in scope or intensity as it propagates beyond declared bounds.

## Declared Patterns

- PAT-0360 — Propagation Amplification
  - URL: /workbench/patterns/propagation-amplification/
  - Summary: A structural condition where an effect, declaration, authority, constraint, or state increases in scope or intensity as it propagates beyond declared bounds.
- PAT-0300 — Escalation Growth
  - URL: /workbench/patterns/escalation-growth/
  - Summary: A structural condition where impact, authority, scope, or consequence increases across sequential states without a declared limiting mechanism.
- PAT-0420 — Undeclared Side Effect
  - URL: /workbench/patterns/undeclared-side-effect/
  - Summary: A structural condition where an operation modifies regions outside its declared target scope without a declared propagation or side-effect rule.

## Derived Primary Lenses

- LEN-0190 — Escalation Gradient Lens
  - URL: /workbench/lenses/escalation-gradient-lens/
  - Summary: Measures structural growth or intensification across sequential executions, states, or transitions.
- LEN-0240 — Overreach Lens
  - URL: /workbench/lenses/overreach-lens/
  - Summary: Detects structure that exceeds declared scope or authority reach.
- LEN-0250 — Propagation Lens
  - URL: /workbench/lenses/propagation-lens/
  - Summary: Traces how structural declarations, effects, or state changes propagate across boundaries or stages.
- LEN-0290 — Variance / Entropy Lens
  - URL: /workbench/lenses/variance-entropy-lens/
  - Summary: Measures structural variability across repeated or comparable evaluations and identifies divergence beyond expected bounds.

## Derived Secondary Lenses

- LEN-0220 — Isolation Boundary Lens
  - URL: /workbench/lenses/isolation-boundary-lens/
  - Summary: Evaluates whether structural constraints, effects, and regions remain contained within declared boundaries.

## Search Intents

- small error spreads into large failure
- AI small mistake became big problem
- small output error propagated downstream
- AI error spread through workflow
- minor mistake caused major failure
- small issue escalated into bigger failure