How to: Focus on the details and the big picture

Or: Checklists – they keep planes in the sky!

In this article I share why one of the simplest and easiest of things to use is also one of the best ways that lets any engineer deal with the big picture and the details.
One of the challenges for all engineers is to ensure they meet the big picture needs (typically the overall functional purpose of the system they are working on) and the detailed needs (typically things like reliability, serviceability, and other minor aspects that can have major effects if they go wrong).
This act of moving your attention from one to the other and back again to ensure that everything is resolved is given the name “Modal Shifting”.
Modal shifting is not something we naturally do. And when we do do it, it usually slows our progress.
What is needed is something you can use to ensure that you cover all of the issues – be they big picture issues or the detailed issues. Something you can come back to as you progress to ensure you have not forgotten anything. Something you can also refer to when you think you are done to ensure you actually are.
Ideally, this thing would be suitable for teams as well. And, if you are a global engineer, then a team of engineers (and others) of various backgrounds.
There is a system for exactly this. And it’s incredibly easy to use.
The issue is that it’s so simple many choose not to use it. Because it is so easy, it’s hard to truly believe that it will help.
And you probably have already worked out what it is.
It’s the checklist.
There is a reason why checklists are so effective. Because it takes on the job that is so easy your brain ignores it while you focus on more interesting and demanding things. It extracts all the things you can think of when you mind is considering the requirements, and then ensures they are not forgotten as you leap into the demanding and exciting work of developing your solution to the challenge – the time when you normally forget all the minutiae that remains vital.
That’s why they are used in aviation. To ensure pilots release the gust lock for example – look that one up to see how it relates to checklists.
Their power is far greater than would be expected given their simplicity and ubiquity. That, as I mentioned above, is why many do not use them even though they should.
Within the global engineering context, checklists are ideal because they also provide a document of absolute truth for shared situational awareness. Everyone, no matter how they naturally think or are inclined to focus on, knows exactly what needs to be done.
So next time you have an engineering task with various attributes – try a checklist. Collate all that needs to be achieved, before you start the engineering work, and ensure you do everything correctly first time around.