Scrum is a Checklist--Part II

Introduction

In the previous article of this series (found here), we did a brief overview of The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande. In this article, we will discuss the primary resistance to checklists Atul covers before delving into the topic of Scrum as a checklist.

The Expert

Many of our problems today are not problems of ignorance. We have a lot of the knowledge. We, in fact, live in the information age. And with this information, we have increasing expertise in our fields. Doctors, engineers, builders, and many other disciplines have ever-expanding specialization. Instead of problems due to lack of knowledge, several problems in today’s world are due to failure to execute on that knowledge. Work has become increasingly complex. There are so many variables, integration points, and moving pieces simultaneously. And, as professionals become increasingly specialized, we need a tool that will help integrate us effectively so that we can collaborate, work as a team, and, frankly, be intelligent together. Checklists are one tool that can facilitate this.

But one reason humans don’t like checklists is that we feel they are beneath us. In the operating room, this comes as “this is my patient. And this is my OR. This is my responsibility. Who do they (people advocating for surgical checklists) think they are, telling me what to do?”[1] Atul argues that if the same results that the checklist provided were from a new drug, there would be massive marketing, business, and government momentum behind it. If it were a medical device, surgeons would jump right on it. But a checklist? Come on. “I’m an expert; I don’t need a checklist!”

The Root of the Aversion

We have this notion that the truly great don’t need a checklist and run more on instinct. They are daring and improvise instead of sticking to strict procedure. However, the data from Atul’s experiment shows that even for the most elite, the most well-educated among us — surgeons and anesthesiologists — checklists improved surgical outcomes. And this was true even of hospitals in wealthy London or Washington state.

So why this aversion? Atul roots this aversion to checklists as a fear of rigidity. Experts don’t want to feel constrained, robotic, or weighed down by a bunch of boxes that need to be checked off, even if it could mean improving the outcome of their work. They already know how to do the job and how to do it well!

However, just like the scalpel in the hand, Atul argues that a checklist can be seen as a tool to improve outcomes. And a good one (see last article for tips) will not feel constrictive but provide focus, remind us not to forget the stupid stuff (which we are all capable of), and enable us to work constructively together by prompting us to deal with complex work as a team rather than as individuals.

To overcome this aversion — this fear of rigidity and sense of our expertise being infringed upon, Atul keeps his suggestion simple yet testing — humility. He calls for experts to have a little dose of humility to recognize our own fallibility and our need for outside help (Atul addresses some of this in this talk)[2]. And after that initial humbling of themselves, once experts begin to taste the fruits of checklists enabling teamwork and improving outcomes, maybe some of that initial aversion will erode, and there will be more champions of the power of the simple yet powerful tool — checklists.

Conclusion

Atul is no change management expert, but he addresses the notion of expertise that fills a lot of our thinking well, and he has the data to back up his championing of checklists’ ability to improve outcomes. In our next and final article in this series, we will discuss how Scrum is a checklist that helps teams navigate complexity. Expect a little treat at the end as well.

Sources

[1] Gawande, Atul. The Checklist Manifesto. Profile Books Ltd, 2011.

[2] “The Checklist Manifesto.” YouTube, YouTube, 17 Aug. 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfl8Xt8W09A.