Date: 201812
Aircraft: B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Descent; Cruise; Climb; Parked; Initial Approach; Taxi
Aircraft component: Checklists
Component problem: Improperly Operated
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Captain
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Human factors: Time Pressure; Situational Awareness; Distraction; Confusion; Communication Breakdown; Training / Qualification
Anomaly: Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: Pre-flight
Result: General Work Refused
Contributing factors: Human Factors
Primary problem: Human Factors

Narrative: Over the course of the last three years; I have noticed a significant degradation of checklist discipline amongst our First Officers. Lack of checklist discipline falls in two categories:1. Pilots that have memorized the checklist and are looking at switches and lights as they announce the checklist items.  2. Pilots that just read the checklist and rarely look up.  Typically; the longer the checklist; the First Officers have grown accustomed to reading the checklist and not verifying. The checklist items that suffer the most neglect are the [origination] and [termination] Checklists.  Some First Officers rely on osmosis and are able to 'feel' their way through the very short checklists by 'touching' and not pulling it out to read and verify. For the past two years; I have included a special briefing by adding the importance of verifying switch and light status in addition to reading the checklist to my First Officers. I have asked this as a favor to make sure that they keep me honest.  Despite this initial briefing; I have had to slow my responses to get my First Officer's attention. As a Captain; I should not HAVE to watch my First Officer's checklist execution. However; the number of First Officers that do the checklist the way it should be done is in the slim minority.What is the point of reading a checklist without verifying the items being read?  I am writing this ASAP report in the interest of Safety. We are airline Pilots! We should; by now; know how to do a checklist properly and as detailed in the FOM. This narrative is not intended to blame the First Officers. To the contrary; I believe Captains are implicit in training our First Officers to rush; expecting and encouraging checklist lip service. If we did not; this would not be occurring. I submit that running any checklist is distracting and time consuming. Wouldn't it reason that if we will go through the expense of doing any checklist; shouldn't we at least extract the benefit of that expense by doing it correctly? If this is not a systemic problem; then it is most the F/O's in my base.  Sloppy checklist unnecessarily increases risk and pushes both Pilots into the [CRM] Yellow.  Checklist is a Resource and should be treated accordingly.Preventative Measures: 1. An education campaign that will call attention to proper checklist discipline. 2. Grade Pilots on checklist discipline during SIM sessions. 3. Videos that demonstrate poor and good checklist discipline.  Much like our stall series; this will be a good way to get back to basics on the fundamentals. 4. Recommending that the Pilot doing the checklist; hold the checklist up with both hands. This way it is not sitting in the windshield; step panel; central panel; yoke; etc.  There should be no doubt that the checklist is being read. 5. Once checklist is being read; Pilot reading the checklist points to the item and waits for reply from the other Pilot.  I have found that pointing to checklist items prompts the other Pilot to pay attention. This way; there is also not doubt that the checklist is being followed.  I am open to other techniques that would slow us down.




Synopsis: Captain reported that First Officers are not accomplishing checklists correctly.