The undisputed benefit of using checklists.
In 1935, the US Army was testing a new plane from Boeing. Model 299 was bigger than other planes. It had four engines, could fly faster, and carry more weight. It could also fly further than any of the current planes or the competition.
It was a dream of an airplane. But during the very first test, the plane stalled, turned on one wing and crashed.
It was a big blow to Boeing.
Subsequent investigation found that the problem was not with the airplane. Mechanically, it functioned as it should. The crash happened because of the “Pilot Error.”
Model 299 was new and more complex. Four engines, retractable landing gear, new wing flaps, electric trim tabs and other technological improvements made the plane more difficult to fly. The pilot couldn’t keep track of all the things he needed to keep track of.
But, in spite of the crash, the US Army bought several models of the plane.
Since the problem wasn’t mechanical, it was the pilot’s knowledge that was the issue. Naturally, many suggested that pilots just needed more training — longer hours studying the mechanics and more hours learning to fly the big birds.
More training, however, wouldn’t help solve the problem. The test pilot was Major Hill, the most decorated pilot the US Army had. No one flew more hours and could execute the most complex of maneuvers. He was as trained as they came.
The problem was somewhere else.
As airplanes evolved to make planes fly faster, longer and withstand bigger G-forces, new technology came to the forefront as the primary driver for innovation. With more technology came more complexity. More buttons to push, more levers to pull, more gauges to monitor.
There were just too many things to pay attention to and do. More training wouldn’t help with this.
There had to be a better, simpler solution.
The actual solution the US Army came up with was a simple checklist.
Since there were so many things to remember during take-off, flight and landing it made sense to create a list of things a pilot could check before, during and after each phase. This took the cognitive load of remembering everything from the pilot and putting it on the checklist.
The pilot’s job was now simpler. When flying, he just had to remember which checklist to use for which phase of the flight.
As the planes evolved even further, simple checklists grew into simple books of checklists. But the concept of using a checklist to ensure all the procedures and processes were follower still remains a vital component of every flight.
A checklist is the single most effective tool to help you tackle complexity.
Checklists are the secret sauce that helps us manage complexity. Whether on a client engagement or in the airplane cabin, following a tried-and-tested method makes your job simpler, safer, and more effective.
And our lives are better and safer for this.
What process in your business could use a checklist?