checklistlisted

# Checklist ## Overview A **checklist** is a short written list of must-not-skip steps for a complex repeated operation. It externalizes working memory — which fails under load, ego, time pressure, and fatigue — so attention stays on the situation rather than step recall. Boeing 1935 → Pronovost ICU 2001 → WHO Surgical 2008: each produced 36-47% reductions in major adverse events at near-zero cost. Composes with [`metacognition`](../metacognition/SKILL.md), [`confirmation-bias`](../confirmation-bias/SKILL.md), [`cognitive-load-theory`](../cognitive-load-theory/SKILL.md), [`premortem`](../premortem/SKILL.md), [`inversion`](../inversion/SKILL.md). ## When to Use - High-stakes repeated operations (deployments, launches, M&A close, hiring decisions, financial close) - Multiple steps where skipping one costs far more than running the checklist - Multi-person operations where coordination must be consistent - New team members joining a critical workflow **Not when:** operation is simple/one-off; no recurring pattern exists; checklist culture creates false confidence (mechanical checking without thought). ## Coaching Novices (Adaptive Front Door) - **Engine mode:** user has a specific operation → run The Process directly. - **Coach mode:** user is new to the framework → guide step by step. In Coach mode, respond one step at a time. Each [WAIT] is a hard stop — output only that step's question, then stop. 1. One-line: for any complex repeated operation, a 6-10 item checklis