[andrewaylett]

If the alternative to the check list is reading the full documentation, that's one thing. But in my experience -- as a Software Engineer, and random dude on the Internet -- the alternative is usually no check list or documentation.

[sgarland]

For sure – short of large and well-supported projects like Django et al., docs are notoriously incomplete if present at all.

Even then, you have to get people to read them, which is somehow a monumental task. Docs? Nah, lemme read this Medium blog instead.