Principle
Use a checklist for omissions, not for pretending judgment disappeared
A checklist is excellent at remembering steps and mediocre at making uncertainty vanish.
When it fits
- A complex decision is being converted into a long checklist because checklists feel reliable.
When to avoid it
- Some structured decision aids legitimately contain judgment prompts; the distinction is whether the box itself resolves the uncertainty.
Why it matters
Put routine critical actions and common omissions on the checklist. Keep novel diagnosis, tradeoffs and uncertain judgment as explicit decision points with supporting evidence rather than yes/no boxes. If a checklist grows into a textbook, split reference guidance from the small execution list.
An example
A deployment checklist can require backup verification and rollback readiness while leaving architecture risk assessment as a separate review.
Check your result
The checklist reliably catches routine omissions without claiming to automate expert reasoning.
Keep this limit in mind
- Some structured decision aids legitimately contain judgment prompts; the distinction is whether the box itself resolves the uncertainty.
Evidence and sources
Checklists are principally suited to ensuring important routine steps are not omitted and should not be assumed to replace expert reasoning in novel problems.
A well-designed checklist can still include decision prompts; the warning is against reducing every judgment to a tick box.
Checklists · Background and cognitive basis