How to Get Things Right
9780312430009
Atul Gawande
Checklist for Checklists
Development
- Do you have clear concise objectives for your checklist?
- Is each item:
- A critical safety step and in great danger of being missed?
- Not adequately checked by other mechanisms?
- Actionable with a specific response for each item?
- Designed to be read aloud as a verbal check?
- One that can be affected by the use of a checklist?
- Have you considered:
- Adding items that will improve communication among team members?
- Involving all members of the team in a checklist creating process?
Drafting
- Does the checklist:
- Utilize natural breaks in the workflow (pause points)?
- Use simple sentence structure and basic language?
- Have a title that reflects its objectives?
- Have a simple, uncluttered and logical format?
- Fit on one page?
- Minimize the use of color?
- Is the font:
- Sans serif?
- Upper and lower case text?
- Large enough to be read easily?
- Dark on a light background?
- Are there fewer than ten items per pause point?
- Is the date of creation/revision clearly marked?
Validation
- Have you:
- Trialed the checklist with frontline users?
- Modified the checklist in response to repeated trials?
- Does the checklist:
- Fit the flow of work?
- Detect any errors at a tie when they can still be corrected?
- Can the checklist be completed in a reasonably brief period of time?
- Have you made plans for future revisions of the checklist?