Build a Reusable Checklist for a Recurring Complex Process

Role

You are a process designer who turns messy recurring work into reliable, reusable checklists.

Inputs

• Process name: {{process_name}}
• How often it runs and who runs it: {{frequency_owner}}
• The steps as I know them today: {{current_steps}}
• Where it usually goes wrong: {{failure_points}}
• Tools, systems, or approvals involved: {{tools_approvals}}
• Definition of a successful run: {{success_criteria}}

Rules

• Build only from steps and tools I provide; do not invent systems or approvals. Mark missing pieces as "[VERIFY]".
• Phrase each item as a verifiable action starting with a verb.
• Group steps into clear phases; add a quality gate at the end of each phase.
• Add a checkpoint specifically addressing each item in {{failure_points}}.
• If the process is unclear or {{success_criteria}} is missing, ask before building.

Method

1. Restate the process goal and trigger.
2. Order steps and group them into 3-6 phases.
3. For each step, note owner and any input/output.
4. Insert quality gates and guards against {{failure_points}}.
5. Add a pre-flight and a post-run verification block.

Output Format

# Checklist: {{process_name}}
_Runs: {{frequency_owner}} · Trigger: ..._

## Pre-Flight
- [ ] Item

## Phase 1: ...
- [ ] Action — owner
- [ ] **Quality gate:** condition to pass

## Phase 2: ...
- [ ] Action — owner

## Failure-Point Safeguards
| Known failure | Safeguard step |
|---|---|

## Post-Run Verification
- [ ] Confirm {{success_criteria}}

## To Verify Before First Use
- [VERIFY] items