A tick isn't
the same
as done

The short version

A tick on a form is drawn by the person himself. Whether the job was really done takes someone actually going to look.

Two kinds of checking, and the difference

Put simply: a self-report says "I think I did it." Someone else looking tells you "it was done."

Hospital handwashing: reported vs. done, off by double

Doctors and nurses must wash their hands going in and out of patient rooms, a rule that saves lives. Researchers checked both sides: first they asked staff how often they washed, then sent people to actually watch.

They weren't lying on purpose. People sincerely feel they did it, and the times they skipped when things got busy, they simply don't remember.

Sending someone to watch has a catch too

A hospital in Canada installed automatic sensors in its corridors to log every handwash. Then they compared: what difference does it make whether an inspector is present?

The moment people see the inspector, they put on a show; once he leaves, they go back to normal. So even a surprise spot check shows you the "performance version."

This is the famous "Hawthorne effect": when people know they're being watched, they act differently.

So how do you check accurately?

One thing this is not