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The Checklist Manifesto: How To Get Things Right: Difference between revisions
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But far from chaining us to some kind of deterministic mast, Gawande’s prescription set us free. In any [[Complexity|complex]] procedure, even ones requiring infinite skill and judgement, large parts of it are, nonetheless [[simple]], and rule-bound — indeed, that is almost the definition of complexity. So, before you perform that emergency tracheotomy, first wash your hands and sterilise that scalpel. It is an asymmetric risk. Sterilising the scalpel may not guarantee success, but ''not'' sterilising it hugely magnifies the odds of failure. | But far from chaining us to some kind of deterministic mast, Gawande’s prescription set us free. In any [[Complexity|complex]] procedure, even ones requiring infinite skill and judgement, large parts of it are, nonetheless [[simple]], and rule-bound — indeed, that is almost the definition of complexity. So, before you perform that emergency tracheotomy, first wash your hands and sterilise that scalpel. It is an asymmetric risk. Sterilising the scalpel may not guarantee success, but ''not'' sterilising it hugely magnifies the odds of failure. | ||
These steps are rote — in the language of [[complexity]] theory, “[[simple]]”. They require no judgment or intuition. But the [[meatware]] isn’t good at running [[algorithm]]s without help: [[we make excellent experts, but hopeless machines]]. We’re good at improvising and exercising judgment and discretion: just the things machines ''aren’t'' good at. | These steps are rote — in the language of [[complexity]] theory, “[[simple]]”. They require no judgment or intuition. But the [[meatware]] isn’t good at running [[algorithm]]s without help: [[meatware|we make excellent experts, but hopeless machines]]. We’re good at improvising and exercising judgment and discretion: just the things machines ''aren’t'' good at. | ||
But failure to do [[simple|the easy stuff]] can undermine the most exquisite expertise. An ''aide memoire'' to help you through the drudgery reduces that risk. A well-formed checklist can, unglamorously, ensure that exquisite judgement and skill is being exercised: putting in group meetings in a repeat process where all concerned have an opportunity to raise questions and hash things out. | But failure to do [[simple|the easy stuff]] can undermine the most exquisite expertise. An ''aide memoire'' to help you through the drudgery reduces that risk. A well-formed checklist can, unglamorously, ensure that exquisite judgement and skill is being exercised: putting in group meetings in a repeat process where all concerned have an opportunity to raise questions and hash things out. | ||