Pre-mortem template

Often in projects, the learning happens too late in the process and nothing can be done to impact the project outcomes. Use this template to conduct a pre-mortem to anticipate potential failures, obstacles, and challenges before a project begins. 

Pre-mortems encourage teams to imagine a scenario where a project has already failed, and then work backward to identify the factors that could lead to that failure. By doing so, teams can proactively address these issues, mitigating risks and enhancing project success.

Pre-mortem template benefits

• Anticipate potential risks before a project starts

• Brainstorm solutions for problems before they happen

• Define an action plan with key stakeholders to prevent project failure

• Improve risk assessment among team members

How to use the pre-mortem template

In this section detail each step of the process in using the Mural template. These steps may be taken directly from the template itself.

Step 1: Brainstorm scenarios for failure

Bring the team together at the beginning of the project and ask them to imagine that the project is over, and that it was a failure. Looking back, have everyone imagine what may have caused the project to fail using the “potential causes of failure” section.

Step 2: Identify the most critical risks within your control

Have each team member share the potential causes of failure they wrote down. As a team, group these by theme and vote on the most critical issues the team should address before the project starts. Move your final selection over into the “most important causes” section.

Step 3: Brainstorm preventative solutions

Individually, brainstorm solutions for preventing these potential risks from happening. Capture these ideas for preventative solutions in the “brainstorm solutions” section. Share and discuss as a team.

Step 4: Regroup and conduct a final vote

As a group, conduct a vote on which preventative solutions you will pursue and formalize a pre-mortem plan. Assign tasks to team members, establish timelines, and create a clear roadmap for risk mitigation in the “action plan” section.

Tips for running a pre-mortem with your team

• Stay solution-oriented: While identifying issues is crucial, always focus on finding practical solutions to mitigate or eliminate them. Dedicate time for solving the problems you identify during the pre-mortem exercise.

• Encourage divergent thinking: Welcome diverse perspectives and encourage creative problem-solving during the pre-mortem exercise. Do you have other teams that you collaborate with? Invite them to add potential issues for an outsider’s point-of-view.

• Foster psychological safety: Create an environment where team members feel safe to voice their concerns without fear of criticism. It can be uncomfortable to plan for the worst, but psychological safety among the team can help break through the discomfort.

• Group together similar ideas: Having a long list of things that can go wrong can be a little demoralizing. Try grouping together your project risks by theme to identify common trends and root causes. ‍

• Review problems after the project is over: After the project is over, follow up with the project team to conduct a retrospective or post-mortem. What problems occurred that weren’t identified in the pre-mortem meeting? What can the team do for the next project? Asking these questions will help the team build a playbook for the next pre-mortem.