Checklists are an essential component of high-quality processes, e.g. in aviation, medicine or construction. Checklists provide a seemingly mix of freedom and expectation — and also to measure progress toward common goals. If you did a sequence of actions 3 times, make it a checklist!
- Identify "Stupid Mistakes" that cause failure. Understand the most significantly causes of failure.
- Seek Additional Input From Others. There are other people in your organization who either do similar work or who use the results of your work. Ask these people for their ideas on the common causes of failure or what they would suggest checking.
- Create Simple "Do" Steps. Reminders to do a specific action.
- Test The Checklist. Put your checklist into action.
- Refine the Checklist. Refine and improve the checklist.
The checklist should only contain the most important sources of error. Completeness is not the goal, but to ward off the greatest risks without slowing down the process.