Checklists
Checklists can be used to ensure quality and consistency when performing a procedure. Especially complex procedures can benefit from checklists.
Your checklists should serve you. If they aren't useful, adjust it or get rid of it.
Don't make your checklists into user guides. Assume that the reader knows how to do things and focus on making it a helpful tool to ensure that all steps are completed.
Two types of checklists:
- With READ-DO checklists you read the next item on the list before completing it and proceeding to the next.
- With DO-CONFIRM checklists you first perform the tasks and then go through the list to check that you didn't forget something.
An advantage of using checklists is that you forget something at most once because you can easily add whatever you forgot to the checklist for next time.