Simple and unreasonably effective.
WHAT THEY ARE FOR
Preventing omission of known steps.
WHERE THEY WORK BEST
Complex tasks with many steps Tasks done infrequently Tasks where omission has consequences Handovers
WHY THEY WORK
Memory fails predictably under pressure and familiarity.
WHAT MAKES A GOOD CHECKLIST
Short Only the steps that are actually forgotten Phrased as confirmations Used at a defined point
WHAT MAKES A POOR ONE
Every step listed So long it is skipped No defined moment to use it
WHY LENGTH DESTROYS THEM
Long checklists are completed without reading.
HOW LONG
Few enough to fit on one screen or page.
WHAT TO INCLUDE
The steps that are critical and the ones people miss.
HOW TO FIND THOSE
From what has actually gone wrong.
WHAT TYPES EXIST
Read and do: follow as you work
Confirm: complete the work, then verify
WHICH TO USE WHERE
Confirm for familiar work; read-and-do for unfamiliar or critical work.
WHAT TO ESTABLISH
Who uses it and when.
WHAT TO DO ABOUT RESISTANCE
Acknowledge that it feels unnecessary, and point to what has gone wrong.
WHAT TO REVIEW
Whether items still earn their place.
WHAT TO REMOVE
Anything that has never caught anything.
