The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right

I looked over the other reviews of this interesting book, and there are many of them that you will find very useful--so I'll just try to list some highlights. As Dr. Gawande points out, a checklist can't be too long (people won't use it), yet it must succinctly cover the most essential considerations of the situation at hand. Although what follows isn't a checklist, I'll try to focus on the most essential characteristics of Dr. Gawande's book: First, this is an easy-to-read, engaging book. I'll bet that you will find it hard to put down. It is interesting enough to make you want to read the book and serious enough to deliver important messages. Second, the value of using checklists springs directly from the complexity of modern life, whether we're talking about surgery (the author is a surgeon), flying an airplane or building a skyscraper. By the way, in reading this book I have developed a newfound appreciation of how complex the construction business can be. Third, checklists are not just for simple, straightforward tasks. Checklists help people communicate and work together better, especially when the unexpected occurs. Fourth, checklists are important regardless of the time available. Indeed, when the cockpit crew of US Airways flight 1549 lost both engines over New York City, they had only three minutes of airtime remaining. The first thing they did was to get out their checklists. (You can read Captain Sully Sullenberger's excellent book for more details.) Fifth, checklist usage has saved numerous lives, including one of Dr. Gawande's patients. His candor in discussing that episode is laudable. Sixth, humans being human, mistakes will inevitably occur. Checklist usage is important when the potential cost of human mistakes is great. Seventh, the mere act of creating a checklist focuses the mind on the most important characteristics of our tasks. Eighth, like anything else, it takes practice to produce and use checklists effectively. Ninth, practice comes from commitment and personal discipline. Indeed, one of the most important things Sully Sullenberger did was to maintain his composure and discipline, even while the gravity of his situation must have been racing through his mind. Tenth, as I read this book, my mind frequently reflected on how a checklist approach could be applied in some of the business and academic practices that I am familiar with. That's the real beauty of this book--it gets the reader thinking about ways to improve life.

As in all of his work, Dr. Gawande latest book brilliantly reminds us all of the huge value of getting the human interaction side right to accompany the advancements in science and technology that his (and other's) field of work has witnessed. It highlights the inadequacy of technical expertise when not joined by an equal (maybe greater) emphasis on strengthening our relationships with those we work with and care about. Though the medical narrative is gripping, I challenge you to not be moved by so many of the other stories of people under complex pressure trying to get things right. The beautifully written examples of Wal-Mart and Katrina and of Mr. Hagerman are worth far more than the price of the book just on their own.

I work in a hospital as an intensive care nurse. We have been working on a multitude of projects to improve patient safety and outcomes. And in the midst of all the technology and knowledge and training, it is the simple thing--a checklist. Having a husband who is a private pilot and works for the FAA, I have heard about checklists for years. This book shows how pilots use checklists to avert disaster and save lives. It explains how the people who build complex buildings use checklists to plan the construction but also communicate and correct the changes and errors. And it gives a multitude of examples in medicine to show how checklists work and what happens when they aren't used. It is a fascinating, quick and easy read. And it will have you thinking very differently about checklists and safety, whether in the air, a building or a hospital.