checklist n : a list of items (names or tasks etc.) to be checked or consulted

English

Noun

1. A list of tasks to be completed, names to be consulted, conditions to be verified and similar.

A checklist is used as an aid to memory. It helps to ensure consistency and completeness in carrying out a task. A basic example is the "to do list." A more advanced checklist would be a schedule, which lays out tasks to be done according to time of day or other factors.

Applications

• a tool that is used as a human factors aid in aviation safety to ensure that a long list of items are not forgotten.
• use in medical practice to ensure that clinical practice guidelines are followed.
• used in quality assurance of software engineering, to check process compliance, code standardization and error prevention, and others.
• often used in industry in operations procedures.
• can aid in mitigating claims of negligence in public liability claims by providing evidence of a risk management system being in place.

Format

Checklists are presented as lists with small checkboxes down the left hand side of the page. A small tick or checkmark is drawn in the box after the item has been completed.

External links

• The Checklist by Atul Gawande, from The New Yorker
• Compendium of Checklists
• How the pilot's checklist came about: Air Force Magazine version
• Virtual Checklist - an Open Source (GPL) checklist software written in VB.NET.

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