I’ll admit it: with my self-diagnosed OCD, likely supported by those around me, I enjoy a good checklist as much as the next person.
Checklists are valuable. They create consistency, prevent mistakes, and help ensure important items don’t get overlooked.
But lately, some scope review checklists have reminded me of that famous episode of The Office where Michael Scott follows his GPS directly into a lake.
At some point, common sense has to enter the conversation.
Increasingly, we’re experiencing scope reviews where we’re asked questions that are already answered on the cover sheet, in the proposal, or elsewhere in the bid package.
“Do you have…uh…the metal panels?”
In many cases, the answer is sitting in plain sight.
The GPS wasn’t the problem. The problem was ignoring what was obvious.
By all means, let’s continue asking the important questions. Let’s verify flashing details, nuanced scope considerations, exclusions, sequencing concerns, and the items that genuinely create risk.
But perhaps we can save everyone a little time by focusing on the unanswered questions rather than those already addressed in the proposal.
Good processes should support good thinking, not replace it.