The excellent and readable book "The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get
Things Right" (link below to avoid wrapping) illustrates -- using
examples from medicine, aviation, and many other contexts -- great and
pervasive value in applying structure, planning, discipline, and
checklists to complex projects. Working with technology, we're more than
familiar with lists of instructions for installing, maintaining,
debugging, and repairing what we work with. For example, VM through many
incarnations has used an IVP (Installation Verification Program) to
exercise basic functions. Long ago in a VM data center, we added local
functions to the test suite. Ensuring successful IVP operation at least
reduces unpleasant surprises when systems entered production. And
examples in the book from aviation and the military show how checklists
and structured reports avoid problems, solve problems, and improve
quality by identifying weak areas.
<http://amzn.to/20qIySD> -- the book
Many years ago when purchasing a new mainframe, we endured meetings with
our IBM team called Systems Assurance. Tedious though they were, they
paid off in ensuring that we bought the right configuration, properly
prepared the data center facility, and understood the
delivery/installation process. It was clearly based on years of
experience with things going not quite right. So -- I'd like to hear
about experiences using checklists for anything mainframe related (e.g.,
designing, developing, testing, debugging, documenting). Initially,
being brief is fine; I'll follow up for details.
As usual, please copy me directly to avoid replies being buried in list
digests. Thanks!
--
Gabriel Goldberg, Computers and Publishing, Inc. g...@gabegold.com
3401 Silver Maple Place, Falls Church, VA 22042 (703) 204-0433
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/gabegold Twitter: GabeG0
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