First and foremost, a good checking process requires time. If the process is rushed, the result is already compromised. There also needs to be at least two people involved in the process, preferably a senior engineer. The audit trail needs to be easy to follow and a set of standards in place to keep the workflow standardized, and every person in the process needs to be trained on the workflow. A standard way to implement this is as follows, which assumes the self-check has already been completed:

1. Originator - The engineer who creates the design. This person cannot be the checker.
2. Checker - This engineer checks the design, including any specifications, calculations, drawings, etc. that go with it. There can be more than one checker but it cannot be the originator.
3. Back-Checker - This engineer agrees or disagrees with the checkers corrections. This is an important step because the checker isn't always right either. The originator can be the back-checker.
4. Update - Any agreed upon responses are implemented.
5. Verify - The checker(s) verify that the design has been updated correctly. Ideally this is the same person who did the check, but it cannot be the person who did the updates or back-check.

Each process should have unique color coding or checkmarks/highlights to make it easy to identify each individual. If the process is followed well it leaves little room for errors to slip through the cracks.