Unlocking Success with the Power of Checklists

Apart from being an incredibly powerful resource, the checklist is also a refined, practical, simple, and useful tool, which has been proven to not only be effective in preventing errors and enhancing productivity but also in winning wars.

Due to its versatility, it is used across diverse industries, ranging from construction to hospitals and web development.

A Revolutionary Use of the Checklist

During the Second World War, the American aviation pioneer, Boeing, introduced and launched the outstanding Model 299 airplane, which was also known as the Flying Fortress.

This airplane was a four-engine heavy bomber aircraft with a wingspan of nearly 104 feet, which allowed it to achieve greater speed and range compared to previous bomber aircraft and to carry five times as many bombs. It was a true game-changer in the aviation industry.

However, during a public demonstration flight, despite its outstanding and remarkable qualities, what should have gone down in history as the most promising aircraft's performance turned out to be a tragic accident witnessed by everyone who was gathered.

The aircraft had taken off smoothly from the runway, but as it ascended, it became uncontrollable and eventually stalled—it experienced a sudden reduction in lift. The airplane lost its ability to maintain flight and began to descend quickly, leading to its crash.

The crash was severe as the airplane caught fire. The public demonstration flight did go down in history, but not as it should have.

After a series of investigations, they found that the airplane had crashed as a result of pilot error. They realized that the task of managing four radial engines was too overwhelming for just one pilot. This proved to be a major setback that was not planned for.

To rectify the issue, the military purchased a few planes and asked their pilots to find a way to operate them effectively. Surprisingly, they found that the solution was not extensive training. Instead, it was much simpler and involved a straightforward yet powerful tool: the pilot's checklist.

This tool enabled the Flying Fortress to fly 1.8 million times without a single accident, playing a crucial role in wartime air support.

That was the power of the checklist. The checklist not only protects against errors but also improves how people interact with technology. Checklists help to manage complex tasks by making the task requirements very clear and thereby prompting action.

The Psychology of Checklists

1. The Principle of Least Effort

According to philosophers Gorovitz and MacIntyre, there are two reasons for failure. They are:

• Ignorance

• Ineptitude

They suggest that we fail because we either lack the information we need or fail to use it correctly when we have the information. But why then do we still struggle when we have the information?

This is not due to a problem of brain capability, as you might think, but rather a matter of effort and attention.

To make it simple to understand, psychologist Daniel Kahneman describes two systems for how our brain operates. He referred to them as System 1 and System 2.

System 1

With System 1, thinking is fast and intuitive. One does not need to deliberate over an action to take, thereby saving time and effort. However, this is not the case with System 2.

System 2

With System 2, on the other hand, the brain handles conscious and deliberate thoughts. This, unlike System 1, is slow and requires more effort and time. Given the swiftness and efficiency of System 1, many people prefer it over System 2, especially for its rapid decision-making capability. This preference also explains why users enjoy using checklists, such as those provided by Flook.co, which streamline task management and reduce mental strain.

The Mere Exposure Effect

Checklists are familiar and require little effort to understand what to do. This phenomenon is known as the mere exposure effect. They provide brief, essential information regarding the tasks that need to be done. Thus, users are not burdened with decision-making—they do not have to decide what to do—because, with the checklist, they avoid the paradox of choice.

These features promote prompt, automatic thinking, which ultimately enhances the user experience.

For example, PayPal has a checklist that helps simplify setting up a business account for their users. This checklist makes the process more approachable because users, from the beginning, instantly see five required steps and can prepare their minds for the process, reducing perceived effort and highlighting task completion intuitively.

2. The Principle of Cognitive Closure

Mark Twain once said, “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did." This statement reflects the psychological effect known as the Zeigarnik effect. It stems from the disappointment that comes from failing to complete a task.

Bluma Zeigarnik realized that interruptions while performing a task lead to a stronger recall and motivation to complete unfinished tasks. Studies show that this effect can be further supported by the goal-gradient effect, which suggests that individuals exhibit increased effort and engagement as they approach the completion of a goal, just like how a pre-stamped coffee card seems closer to completion than an unmarked one.

The perceived distance to the completion of a task increases the motivation to complete it. This is why the checklist is quite powerful, as it visually represents unfinished tasks, showing users how far they are from completion and motivating them to complete their tasks.

We see an example of the use of these psychological principles—the Zeigarnik and goal-gradient effects—within the platform, Monday.com. To encourage users to complete their profiles, Monday.com uses color-coded checklists to highlight incomplete tasks and visualize progress, making it more likely for users to follow through.

3. The Psychology of Small Wins

When we win, our brain releases dopamine. This hormone, dopamine, makes us feel good and focused, which in turn incites us to revisit activities that trigger its release. However, failure drains us of dopamine, leading to feelings of frustration and loss of concentration.

Therefore, your product should be designed to foster a winning streak. This is because frequent task completion will keep users productive and give them a sense of value. They will end up appreciating the time and effort spent on your products.

You can do this using the checklist. The checklist will help break down complex tasks into manageable steps so that instead of scaling a mountain, users can tackle molehills, thereby making the whole experience even more inviting.

For example, Treehouse, an online learning platform, does this by structuring its courses as checklists. Doing so ensures that its users maintain their winning streak while managing the complexities of technology and skill acquisition.

Conclusion

Checklists are widely used today and for good reason: they can align with our psychological biases. When developing patterns and flows, instead of reinventing the wheel and attempting to create entirely new systems from scratch, you should stick to and leverage the power of effective checklists.