Use and limitations of checklists. Other strategies for audits and inspections

Abstract

Checklists are tools commonly used by quality assurance (QA) unit professionals in inspections and audits as they perform their customary tasks of verifying and checking compliance with various applicable standards. An analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of checklist use is discussed in this article. Excessive dependence on these auxiliary-checking systems can cause certain problems, and in some cases their real usefulness is called into question. Alternative or complementary strategies are proposed in order to optimise the rational use of checklists. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.