Checklists are lists of itemized points that can be quickly and methodically followed (and referenced later by their list number) to make sure all listed items have been processed according to the domain of relevance.
- This checklist-based approach was made popular in the book “The Checklist Manifesto. How to Get Things Right” by Atul Gawande who is a noted surgeon, writer and public health leader. In his review of this book, Malcolm Gladwell writes that: “Gawande begins by making a distinction between errors of ignorance (mistakes we make because we don’t know enough), and errors of ineptitude (mistakes we made because we don’t make proper use of what we know). Failure in the modern world, he writes, is really about the second of these errors, and he walks us through a series of examples from medicine showing how the routine tasks of surgeons have now become so incredibly complicated that mistakes of one kind or another are virtually inevitable: it’s just too easy for an otherwise competent doctor to miss a step, or forget to ask a key question or, in the stress and pressure of the moment, to fail to plan properly for every eventuality. Gawande then visits with pilots and the people who build skyscrapers and comes back with a solution. Experts need checklists–literally–written guides that walk them through the key steps in any complex procedure. In the last section of the book, Gawande shows how his research team has taken this idea, developed a safe surgery checklist, and applied it around the world, with staggering success.”
- Given the mind-boggling complexities of the fast-evolving Ethereum infrastructure (new platforms, new languages, new tools and new protocols) and the risks associated with deploying smart contracts managing millions of dollars, there are so many things to get right with smart contracts that it is easy to miss a few checks, make incorrect assumptions or fail to consider potential situations. Smart contract experts therefore need checklists too.
- Smart contract security checklists (such as the articles in this series) help in navigating the vast number of key aspects to be remembered and applied. They help in going over the itemized features, concepts, pitfalls, best-practices and examples in a methodical manner without missing any items. Checklists are known to increase retention and have a faster recall. They also help in referencing specific items of interest e.g. #42 in Security Pitfalls & Best Practices 101 or #98 in Audit Techniques & Tools 101.
- Itemized Lists
- Retention & Recall
- Pitfalls & Best Practices
- No Missed Checks