Why Checklists Matter

Dr. Atul Gawande, author of The Checklist Manifesto, makes the case for why experts need checklists.

The greater our expertise, he argues, the more we take things for granted.

As a result, we often communicate poorly:

• We omit critical information (we believe others already know it)
• We fail to be specific (we think others must know the specifics)
• We resist clarifying our statements (we don't want to insult colleagues)

Checklists can compensate for these failings, as Gawande explains in a Podcast on the topic.  Check it out.