“The checklist cannot be lengthy. A rule of thumb some use is to keep it to between five and nine items, which is the limit of working memory.”–Atul Gawande, The Checklist Manifesto

Our world is becoming increasingly complex and errors often come with complexity. Atul Gawande gives us a wonderful tool for dealing with that complexity, one that has been around for ages–the basic checklist. The Air Force mandated flight checklists decades ago when many of their pilots were crashing. They learned the checklist should be concise and must be reviewed before every flight. As a result, the number of plane crashes dropped dramatically.

Through a series of real life examples, Gawande shows how effective checklists are in a variety of situations–including construction sites, investment banking, businesses of all kinds and hospitals. I guess I am naive that I assumed there already was a standard procedure for hospitals! There may be some, but without a checklist, it is easy to miss something in the moment of an emergency.

Gawande has a narrative style reminiscent of Malcolm Gladwell–interesting, relatable, and informative. If you want to get things right, check out The Checklist Manifesto.

 

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