What is the difference between a to-do list, an instruction sheet and a checklist?

To-do is a simple to-do list of tasks and tasks. The most obvious example is a shopping plan to do at the supermarket. It is before this list in a man’s hands that all the marketers in the world are powerless.

There is also an instruction - a list of actions to be performed in a certain order in order to solve a problem. Let’s say, to assemble furniture. However, such instructions are usually reached only when something has gone wrong.

A checklist is also a list (of tasks, criteria, parameters, questions or tasks), but it is usually used to control and check something. For example you can use checklist to control or check health, quality of text for an email newsletter, psychology homework, or the process of cleaning.

When one of the items on the checklist is completed, a check mark is placed next to it. If there are many items, they are grouped into thematic blocks.

The checklist is something in between the other two formats. It combines the visualisation and simplicity of a “household list” with the structure and order of instructions.

What checklists are useful for?

• Streamlining processes. In any business, there are repetitive steps.
  For example, when preparing each blog post, you need to agree on a
  plan, make a headline, write a social media announcement, add
  keywords, check facts and so on. A checklist will help not to miss
  anything (and will make it easier to delegate, to control other
  participants).

• Tracking progress. The checklist clearly shows how much has been done
  and how much still needs to be done. If there is not much left, it
  will be much easier to continue - you will want to tick the remaining
  boxes sooner. And because the checklist divides a large task (a
  complex process) into simpler steps, it should be easier to complete
  each subsequent item.

• Quality assessment. The checklist is a good way to check whether a
  product (the work done) meets certain criteria. This assessment will
  help to improve quality, to give feedback.

• How to make a checklist. Define your objective. You don’t have to try
  to solve all problems at once. It is better to choose a more specific
  task and detail its step-by-step solution.

• Take into account the sequence of actions. In checklists, as opposed
  to instructions, this is not as critical, but order and logic will
  help speed up the process.

• Structure information. A hundred items in a row will confuse anyone.
  It’s better to divide the steps into thematic blocks.

• Keep it simple and clear. One action, one paragraph. Only important,
  no unnecessary information. If there is a lot of text, it is better
  to divide it into several sub-items.

• Keep the formatting to a minimum. No need to “play with fonts” and
  use a lot of bright colours. The formatting should not distract from
  the text or interfere with the work.

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