Critical Document Design: A Survey of Considerations for the Next Generation of Procedures Used in High-Risk Organizations

Abstract

Since the innovation of the pre-flight cockpit checklist first made the Boeing B-17 safe to fly, several high-risk industries have adopted the approach, to varying degrees. This paper reviews regulatory findings and recommendations from formal investigations following incidents across multiple high-risk industries to identify areas how checklists may be misused, misunderstood, or where they could have been of value to operators who didn't use them. The recommendations are then compared against current findings in information design and usability, and conclude with recommendations for how the future of electronic documentation may further improve the usability experience of operators and their teams, and ensure the safety of the public around them.