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Pre-Mortem Planner

Imagine your project has failed. Now, work backward to figure out why. This powerful pre-mortem exercise helps you identify potential risks and plan preventive measures before they become real problems.

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Pre-Mortem Entry

Pre-Mortem Analysis

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What is a Pre-Mortem?

A pre-mortem is a managerial strategy in which a project team imagines that a project has failed and then works backward to determine what could have led to the failure. It's a prospective hindsight exercise that helps teams identify potential risks and vulnerabilities that might otherwise be overlooked.

Unlike a traditional risk assessment, which often focuses on what might go wrong, a pre-mortem assumes failure has already occurred. This psychological shift encourages a more open and creative exploration of potential problems, leading to more comprehensive risk mitigation strategies.

Benefits of Conducting a Pre-Mortem

  • Uncovers Hidden Risks: Helps identify risks that might be missed in conventional planning.
  • Encourages Dissent: Creates a safe space for team members to voice concerns without fear of being seen as negative.
  • Improves Planning: Leads to more robust project plans with proactive risk mitigation.
  • Boosts Team Cohesion: Fosters a shared understanding of potential challenges and how to address them.
  • Increases Success Rate: By anticipating and planning for failure, you significantly increase the likelihood of success.

Integrate pre-mortems into your project planning process to build more resilient and successful projects.