# How to build a 'safe-to-fail' culture for IT teams -- and why you should

DevFeed: [How to build a 'safe-to-fail' culture for IT teams -- and why you should](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/how-to-build-a-safe-to-fail-culture-for-it-teams-and-why-you-should-65464.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://www.computerworld.com/article/4223580/how-to-build-a-safe-to-fail-culture-for-it-teams-and-why-you-should.html>)

Author: Linda Rosencrance

Published: 2026-10-06T11:37:59Z

Content type: article

Language: en

Sources: [Computerworld](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/computerworld.md>)

Topics: [engineering-culture](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/engineering-culture.md>), [shadow AI](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/shadow-ai.md>), [AI Trends](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/ai-trends.md>)

Tags: [ai](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/ai.md>), [culture](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/culture.md>), [employee-experience](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/employee-experience.md>), [employee-experience-it-leadership-it-management-it-strategy](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/employee-experience-it-leadership-it-management-it-strategy.md>), [experiment](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/experiment.md>), [it-leadership](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/it-leadership.md>), [it-management](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/it-management.md>), [it-strategy](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/it-strategy.md>), [security](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/security.md>), [teams](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/teams.md>)

## AI overview

The article explains how IT leaders can encourage disciplined experimentation with AI and other technologies while containing risk. It recommends giving workers time and resources, setting clear policies and goals, testing in secure sandboxes, limiting potential impact, and learning from pilots that are stopped as well as those that proceed. It also describes examples from Lenovo, Smartsheet, and Typeform.

## Source excerpt

Companies continue to invest in AI, automation, developer tools, and other new technologies. But they may not get the results they expect if IT workers don't have the time, resources, or freedom to learn how to use them. IT workers may be afraid to try new tools if they think a failed experiment could hurt their performance reviews. They may also be unsure which tools and data they can use or how to test new technology without creating security problems or disrupting the business. A safe-to-fail culture can help remove those barriers. It gives IT workers room to try new ideas while limiting the risks to the company. Although employees still have to follow rules, they're given the time, approved tools, and secure environments they need to test new ideas. Even if the company decides not to adopt a new technology, it can still learn from the experience. "To me, a safe-to-fail culture is not a safe-to-be-careless culture," said Michael Morris, global head of platform and talent at Randstad Digital. "It means designing experiments so that a failure is contained, reversible, and useful." 1. Make experimentation part of the job "Fear of failure is a major barrier, especially when people believe every experiment will be measured against short-term productivity," said Daniel Burrus, founder and CEO at Burrus Research. "Leaders need to separate experimentation from day-to-day performance reviews and give teams permission to test ideas without career risk." One way IT leaders can encourage experimentation is to set aside time for employees to do it during the workday. If it becomes one more task added to an already busy schedule, workers may put it off or have to do it on their own time. Typeform, an AI engagement platform vendor, gives employees time during the workday to try AI and other new technologies, said Aleks Bass, the company's chief product and technology officer. Each employee also receives $1,000 for training, certifications, specialized tools, or other resources