Sod's Law Calculator

Estimate Your Risk

Model how likely a task is to go wrong using Urgency, Complexity, Importance, Skill, and Frequency.

How the calculator works

The interactive version lets you adjust each input and see the result change. Without JavaScript, this page still explains the assumptions behind the model.

  • Urgency: how much time pressure surrounds the task.
  • Complexity: how many moving parts can fail.
  • Importance: how painful failure would be.
  • Skill: how much experience reduces risk.
  • Frequency: how repeated attempts increase exposure.

This calculator is for entertainment and lightweight planning, not engineering risk certification.