The shorthand is "if only" => "next time." Key points from a good article. Definition: "A counterfactual is a statement about how the world might be different

The shorthand is "if only" => "next time." Key points from a good article. Definition: "A counterfactual is a statement about how the world might be different now if something had happened differently in the past. It’s a kind of “alternate history” idea." "Here’s the rub: a counterfactual cannot be a cause. By definition the counterfactual did not happen, therefore it cannot have caused anything. Only events that actually occur can be causes of other events. Causality should be stated in a form “Because X then Y”. The statement “If not X then not Y” is not an explanation, it is a kind of wishful thinking about how the past might have unfolded differently." "When performing Five Whys it is important to avoid this counterfactual leap. Stick to the events that actually occurred. [..]" "Try to reformulate the counterfactual as a statement about future prevention:" 1. If we configure file purging, then this won’t happen again 2. If we monitor for “volume full” conditions, then this won’t happen again 3. If we clean up files from old builds, then this won’t happen again. These are useful statements. When formulated this way, they’re clearly talking about the future and not hypothesizing an alternate history. "