A checklist people finish is shorter than the one you admire

The test of a checklist is whether a real shift completes it while looking at the machines. If it is completed from memory at the desk, it is too long or too vague.

Start with the failures you have actually had. Add a line only after a miss you do not want again. Remove a line that has never failed and that nobody can explain. A list that only grows is a list that will be skipped.

Fail means a fault

Every failed line opens a fault or is attached to one that exists. A fail with no follow-up is a confession you then ignore. A pass does not need a paragraph.

Do not mix “empty the bins” with “cable strands”. One is housekeeping and will hide the other. Two short lists beat one impressive page.

Review the list when the team changes. A list written for a technician is unfair to a receptionist, and they will tick it to get to the door.