Checklists in projects: How to get the most use out of them
Get inspiration from Moment users
Are you taking advantage of all the benefits checklists can offer in your projects? By using checklists smartly, you can ensure accuracy and punctuality in any project. We've asked a handful of our customers who are avid checklist users to share their best practices.
Be inspired by their methods for working more efficiently with checklists in your own projects and see an example at the end of the post of what a common project checklist looks like.
Checklists in different phases of projects
Checklists in Moment are very helpful to use as to-do lists to ensure that all tasks are completed, and as documentation of the completed tasks.
Throughout the different project phases, checklists are used for different purposes. Here are some examples mentioned by our customers:
- When handing over from sketch to preliminary project.
- To quality assure application documents.
- When sending out working drawings.
- At the end of the project to carry out a check.
Checklists in the application process
The importance of checklists varies throughout the project phases, and one of the customers we interviewed pointed out that the checklists are particularly important before submitting applications.
Checklists in the drawing process
One of the customers we spoke to also mentioned that checklists are an active part of the drawing process. They adjust the drawings in parallel with the checklist and actively use the comments field. When a task is complete, they fill in who will be doing the peer control, and the colleague adds their comments with initials.
The checklists are designed to eliminate errors
"When new rules and knowledge are introduced, they are quickly implemented in the checklists," one of our customers tells us. This is very useful because it ensures that everyone in the project is working according to updated rules. Changes in municipal requirements are typically added to the checklists on an ongoing basis.
Another customer we spoke to highlighted that checklists inherently aid in minimising errors: "It's in the nature of checklists to reduce errors".
The importance of peer control
All the customers we spoke to believe that checklists are useful in most types of projects, and mentioned projects within design, regulation, and construction.
The importance of peer control was emphasised, and this also applies to all types of projects.
One customer adds that on small projects, a full peer control may be superfluous. In such cases, they perform a simplified check that is documented on the main page of the project.
Beginners and experienced project members use checklists differently
Beginners need the checklists more at the beginning of the project and along the way, while experienced advisors use them mainly to confirm that everything is done before milestones.
What users like most about checklists
We inquired about the aspects of checklists that users value the most. Here's what they had to say:
- The ease of adding and completing checklists.
- Improved overview of project progress.
- The checklists are clear and easy to print, which is useful in case of non-conformities in the project.
- Intuitive and easy to enter comments directly on each row of the checklist.
Additional handy features worth mentioning
Enhance your checklist experience with these helpful tips and features:
Adding comments:
One of the most useful features of Moment's checklists is the ability to add comments behind each checkbox.
Different checklists for different projects and areas:
The checklists should be adapted to different types of buildings and municipalities, as this also makes it easier to adjust them when guidelines change.
Example of a checklist from one of our customers
Here's an example of the different checklists that are used by one of our architect customers:
Please note that this checklist overview has been translated from Norwegian to English, so bear in mind that the type of checklists used in projects may be different to what is used in your region.