The “Annals of Medicine: The Checklist” is an article from the New Yorker in Dec 2007.  Besides reminding us that we really want to avoid a trip to the Intensive Care Unit, it also spells out how checklists are important when performing complex tasks, even if they tend to be routine.  One study showed the implementation of a 5 step process, that was strictly adhered to, prevented eight deaths in just over a years time.  The article states “Checklists established a higher standard of baseline performance.”

Another article “Study: A Simple Surgery Checklist Saves Lives” in Time, describes similar studies and findings.  In the study described, death rates dropped from 1.5% to 0.8%.  Both articles mention the use of checklists by pilots, due to the complexity of the systems and machines that they operate.

Your system, including the application as well as the entire development and deployment process is likely to be very complex. The lesson we should take away from these articles for all our technology teams is that checklists are important, they reduce the number of problems caused by human error.  You don’t need hundreds of steps, the few key steps are all that is required, and then strict adherence to it.  When you finish the release at 2am you’re probably not thinking as clearly as you normally do, don’t rely on your memory for checking the site.  Have a checklist for critical parts of the application to verify before you head to bed.