Do YOU use a checklist?
There is a very thought provoking article on the Value of Checklists by Mary Abraham at Above and Beyond KM. Mary's blog is excellent and I would highly recommend it for your RSS feeds. This post talks about surgeons using checklists for both routine and complex tasks.
We had a new associate start today, and of course we have pulled the "new lateral hire" checklist out of our Library Procedures Manual to make sure we share all of the relevant need to know info as well as do all the preparatory steps to welcome a new person (personalize the sign out rotunda, get a Westlaw Canada password, etc.)
What about legal research checklists? I admit, I fail miserably at using a checklist except for the brain stumper questions, even though there are good checklists available. We put checklists for research sources and noting up processes in the student's Head Start packages. Is a checklist instructional material or is it something we SHOULD use as a practice tool?
I look forward to reading the comments here or where this is cross posted at the ELLA blog.
P.S. Welcome to Field Michelle!
posted by Unknown @ 9:51 a.m.
5 Comments:
Hi Shaunna:
We certainly push the use of legal research checklists and I have a simple one in my book that we have adapted for use at our firm.
As I get older I think I need checklists for everything (e.g., one by the front door asking if I remembered my keys, my BlackBerry, my lunch, my security pass . . . .).
I've always had a checklist for library tours/orientations, to make sure that I cover everything that I take for granted.
I'm flirting with the idea of making our next procedures revision include more checklists, because they are a very valuable way to make sure that a task is done completely.
Here something is new to read and also some very good information...Please keep me updated as much as possible....
Toronto Lawyers
Thanks so much for the mention, Shaunna. I was the client at a closing yesterday, and I've got to say that I was tremendously comforted by the fact that the lawyer in charge had a comprehensive checklist that he consulted regularly. It works!
- Mary
Nice article Shaunna!
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