A checklist's raison d'être is to answer questions like:
How do I make sure I have everything I need for a trip, for a recipe, or for a project?
How do I make sure I follow a procedure?
How do I make sure all necessary information is updated and available in a meeting?
How do I compare products based on a set of criteria?
The answer to all: by making and using a checklist, of course.
So, upon reflecting on how to accomplish something I want to make sure I don't forget anything or to make sure every step is completed and I make a checklist. In terms of format, it can be a to-do list or a multi-column checklist, like when comparing different products.
The assumption here is that there are clearly identifiable steps. I didn't say checklists work for everything.
In a regulated or in a fairly predictive field, the checklists are passed on, imposed, and they are revised frequently, the more they are used and the more knowledge is gathered. Check this TED talk and Atul Gawande's checklist manifesto.
In my work as an Agile practitioner, I keep a dos and don'ts list to keep focused on the most important practices and to verify that I don't ignore any of the lessons I learned along the way.
A checklist can be an extremely valuable tool for assessing the state of a team, for keeping the focus on the purpose of the practices, and for validating they are still appropriate in the current context.
In a product development context we want to know what we are delivering, when, why are we doing it, who's doing it, how, and where. These are the questions.
No one checklist can help get all answers but starting with any one of these questions gets us well on the way.
The check-mark is a powerful visual symbol itself and it gives clarity when used in a team coordination effort.
There are many ways to accomplish the same sense of progress and visibility but, the simplicity of a checklist gives it an undeniable advantage.
What else could we use checklists for?
Could a checklist keep us honest in any activity we are engaged in?