What is a checklist and how do you make one?

At the moment, many projects have a problem with incorrect tasking, and checklists are made to solve it. But, many people have a question, what are they and how to keep them correctly?

That's why we decided to tell you how to make checklists properly and what it takes to do so.

In this article, we'll look at which HR processes are worth automating to improve uptime.

What is a checklist?

A checklist is a tool that helps to systematize and control the performance of tasks. It is a list of actions to be performed in a certain order to achieve the desired result.

Checklists are used in a variety of business areas, from project management to medical practice. They help to simplify the process of performing tasks, reduce the probability of errors and improve the quality of work. Our studio is no exception, and in the process of team work, certain sets of tasks are also used.

The main benefits of using checklists:

1. Systematization of work, allows you to break down a complex task into smaller subtasks, making it easier to complete.

2. Reducing the time spent on the task because all the necessary steps are in place to achieve the result.

3. Improving the quality of work, reduces the likelihood of errors, through clearly defined tasks.

4. Ease of use, can be created in any format, from paper to electronic, making it easy to work with.

5. The ability to control, gives the opportunity to track the process of tasks and their progress.

Where are checklists used?

We've figured out what a checklist is, now we need to figure out where such lists are used and for whom they are appropriate.

Here are a few examples:

Project Management

Can be used to control the fulfillment of tasks within a project. Simplify the work of the whole team, where everyone knows what needs to be done.
Thanks to this approach, the team begins to maximize productivity and complete tasks in a timely manner.

Medical Practice

They are also used to monitor the performance of procedures in medical practice, which makes the work of medical workers and patients much easier.

Let's take the example of general practitioners, where many patients have difficulty understanding what they need to do first after seeing a doctor. Once the doctor has diagnosed a person, he or she gives the patient the necessary guidance on what to do next. If the use of checklists is introduced into this process, it will help the staff of medical institutions to perform their work with visitors more quickly and clearly.

Let's take a closer look at where such lists apply:

• Checking patient identification: checking first name, last name, date of birth and medical record number, etc.
• Verifying that the diagnosis is correct.
• Checking the availability of the patient's file cabinet.
• Verifying that all necessary, prescribed medications and referrals are available.
• Checking that all necessary documents are in place if there are serious diagnoses, including consent for surgery, and results of examinations.
• Verify that proper training of the operations team is in place.

Business

In practice, many people use checklists, to control the completion of tasks in the business, for example, when taking inventory or preparing for a meeting with a client - it saves a huge amount of time for entrepreneurs.

We can give you an example of our company, which increases its efficiency with the help of proper tasking:
Implementing the use of checklists in the work of all employees.
Training company personnel in the use of checklists and monitoring correct application.
Regularly analyzing performance using checklists and making adjustments to the work process as needed.
Evaluation of utilization efficiency, based on improved quality of services provided, increased order volume and higher level of customer satisfaction
Communicating the results of the checklists to company employees on a regular basis and engaging them in process improvement.
Organizing reward systems, for best performance, using checklists, and motivating employees to improve their performance.
Developing and monitoring the implementation of a defined action plan for the implementation of business processes in the company.
Responsibility for the implementation and control of the use of checklists in the company rests with the manager and the employee designated by him as responsible for this process.

Education

Checklists are also implemented to control the fulfillment of tasks in the educational sphere, for example: when conducting an exam or preparing for a lesson; they help to create a unified system of evaluation and conduct of classes for teachers.
Checklists in education can be used to ensure quality instruction and prevent student errors.
In addition, the use of such lists allows teachers to plan their work more effectively and improve the quality of student learning.

Let's look at an example for lessons:

• Checking that the necessary materials and equipment are available for the lesson.
• Checking the compliance of the lesson topic with the curriculum.
• Checking students' understanding of lesson goals and objectives.
• Checking whether the lesson plan is available and whether it is in line with the curriculum.
• Check the assessment of students' knowledge and understanding of the material.

By scheduling these activities, teachers have some understanding of how to work with students as well as institutionalized learning activities.

How do you start making a checklist?

Creating a checklist doesn't require any special skills or knowledge, but it can greatly simplify the process of completing tasks and improve the quality of your work.
Next, let's look at a plan for how to make a checklist:

Step 1: Determine the purpose of the checklist

The first step in creating a checklist is to determine its purpose.
What do you want to accomplish with this tool? For example, you can create a checklist to follow up on tasks in a project, to follow up on procedures in a medical practice, or to prepare for a client meeting. Defining the purpose of the checklist will help you generate a list of necessary steps to achieve the desired outcome.

Step 2: Determine the steps to achieve the goal

Once you have identified the goal of the checklist, the next step is to analyze the actions needed to achieve that goal. Break the goal down into smaller subtasks and determine the sequence of actions that need to be performed to accomplish each one. For example, if you are creating a checklist to monitor the completion of tasks within a project, the steps might include: defining tasks, assigning responsible parties, setting deadlines, etc.

Here are some tools to help you schedule goals for your checklist:

1. MindMeister
2. Miro
3. Canva
4. XMind
5. Coggle
6. MindNote
7. SimpleMind
8. iThoughts

Step 3: Make a list of steps in the right order

Once you have identified all the necessary actions to achieve the checklist goal, the next step is to make a list of these tasks in the right order. When compiling this list, keep in mind the logical sequence of actions and the optimal order in which to accomplish the tasks.

These tools will help you:

1. Bitrix24
2. Trello
3. Asana
4. Todoist
5. Microsoft Outlook
6. Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel

Step 4: Add additional instructions and comments

Once you have made a list of actions, the next step is to add additional instructions and comments. This can be useful to understand more precisely what needs to be done at each step. For example, you can add explanations for some subtasks or point out possible mistakes to avoid.

Step 5: Check and correct the checklist

The last step in creating a checklist is to check and correct it. Reread the task list and make sure it contains all the necessary actions to achieve the goal. Also check if the order in which they are performed is correct and if there are added instructions. Correct any errors and clarify details, if necessary.

Conclusion

In conclusion, proper HR automation can help companies reduce employee leakage and better recruit qualified people into the workforce.

In conclusion, creating a checklist is a simple and effective way to more easily systematize and control the implementation of tasks: definition of the goal, steps to achieve it, a list of actions, instructions, comments and correction of errors, if necessary.

With the help of all these, you can effectively systematize the product development process without forgetting any of the important steps and as a result get the expected successes.
Choose the goal-setting tools that you are most comfortable with and achieve the results you want.