Checklists are the foundation of a proper quality system even in software development. I manage a team of programmers that develops a regulated product in healthcare (Class 2 Medical Device) - we use checklists extensively throughout the development cycle, in release planning, release kick-off, feature kick-off, in design reviews, in risk/hazard meetings, to track in-house and external validation, and post-release activities.
I'm surprised how little checklists are used in software development. In our application, checklists track even simple things. Suppose you're adding some new feature we have a checklist that tracks related activities such as:
- Does it need a toolbar button?
- Does it need a keyboard/mouse input biding?
- If so did you add a keyboard binding to the default configuration list?
- If so did you add the binding information to the user help file.
- Should it be exposed in Mobile Native App?
- Should it be exposed in Mobile HTML App?
- Should it be exposed in HTML App?
- Was the button label localized?
- Was the identifier added to the toolbar mask list?
- Does it need to be added to the context menu list?
- Does the behaviour need to work with Reset?
- Does the behaviour needs to work in a collaborative session?
- Does the button need a feature flag?
etc.
It's a quick list that we can get through during feature kick-off before unpacking commercial requirements and starting a sprint and during final validation to make sure al the i's are dotted and t's crossed.
I'm surprised how little checklists are used in software development. In our application, checklists track even simple things. Suppose you're adding some new feature we have a checklist that tracks related activities such as:
- Does it need a toolbar button?
- Does it need a keyboard/mouse input biding?
- If so did you add a keyboard binding to the default configuration list?
- If so did you add the binding information to the user help file.
- Should it be exposed in Mobile Native App?
- Should it be exposed in Mobile HTML App?
- Should it be exposed in HTML App?
- Was the button label localized?
- Was the identifier added to the toolbar mask list?
- Does it need to be added to the context menu list?
- Does the behaviour need to work with Reset?
- Does the behaviour needs to work in a collaborative session?
- Does the button need a feature flag?
etc.
It's a quick list that we can get through during feature kick-off before unpacking commercial requirements and starting a sprint and during final validation to make sure al the i's are dotted and t's crossed.