The Sod’s Law calculator computes the probability that you will fail to complete a task.

INSTRUCTIONS: Use the pull-down options to set the following:

• (U) This is the urgency of the task.
• (C)  This is the complexity of the task.
• (I)  This is the importance of the task
• (S)  This is the skill required to compete the task.
• (F)   This is the frequency that the task needs to be repeated.
• (A)   This is the level of agrivation of the task.

Probabiltiy of Failure: The calculator returns the probability of failure for the task.

The Math / Science

The Sod’s Law equation computes the probability, `R_(SL)` that you will fail to complete a task because fate throws a wrench in the works.  This is a variation on Murphy's Law.

The higher is your resulting score using the Sod's Law probability predictor, the greater is your chance of failing.  This is converted into a probability that the task will fail and you will experience a Sod's Law moment

Notes

It is asserted that 'Sod's Law' (Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong) does strike at the worst possible time.  This equation computes the probability that you're going to experience a Sod's Law moment -- and something will go wrong.

British Gas commissioned a  group of experts to find the equation that predicted the probability that Murphy would intervene in your daily life: a psychologist (Dr David Lewis), a mathematician (Philip Obadya) and an economist (Dr Keylan Leyser).

"Previous studies have shown Sod's Law isn't a myth - toast will fall butter side down, odd socks do breed and string can tie itself into knots.

Six factors  are combined in this equation:

• urgency (U)
• complexity (C)
• importance (I)
• skill (S)
• frequency (F)
• aggravation (A)

The user selects the factors evaluated on a scale of  1 through 9.

Aggravation (A), is often set at 0.7 based on some polls conducted but we leave that as a variable, not a constant in this equation

You can calculate Sod's Law probability, with higher numbers indicating it is more likely that bad luck is likely.

Chances are notoriously high that you will hit the wrong button after just completing the most excellent and important email you have written in ages.  Your car doesn't break down when you're making a routine run to the store to pick up milk; it breaks down on the freeway on the way to an important meeting.  These are examples of high Sod's Law probabilities.

To use this equation:

1. Rate the urgency, the importance and the complexity of the task on a scale of 1 to 9 and add these three figures together.  A value of 9 for a task means the task being completed is more urgent.  A value of 9 for the importance means the task's completion couldn't be more important.  A value of 9 for complexity indicates the task is a highly complex task, worth of the immortals.
2. Rate your skill level in this task.  If you have no skill in this task area, use a value of 1.
3. Rate how frequently you perform the task.  A value of nine is a high frequency, like daily.
4. Rate the aggravation level the failure of this task would cause.  A value of 7 has been commonly chosen in polled studies.  A value of one is very little aggravation.