How to Make Checklists: The Ultimate Tool to Save Time (With Examples)

Make your life easier with a simple yet powerful tool

Learning how to make checklists is a lifesaver.

Don’t believe me?

On October 30, 1935, the U.S. Army held a flight competition for airplane manufacturers in Ohio. The purpose was to build the “next-generation long-range bomber” and the Boeing Model 299 was winning. Boeing’s plane was faster, able to carry five times as many bombs as the requested amount, and was also more complex.

It even got a cool nickname: “the flying fortress”.

An experienced crew led by Major Ployer P.Hill took charge of the first test flight.

Unfortunately, the plane exploded right after take-off and killed 2 of the 5 crew members in the process.

The cause of the crash?

The crew forgot to release ONE locking mechanism.

Despite being caused by a human error, the investigators could not attribute the blame of the crash to the crew. It was simply too difficult to memorize all the steps required to fly safely.

To avoid more casualties, investigators reached a simple yet effective solution: