Pre-Mortem Template: Plan for Project Success by Anticipating Failure

Pre-mortem meetings are an important tool for anticipating and planning for potential failures in a project. The pre-mortem template is a useful tool for organizing and facilitating these meetings. By using this template, scrum team members can anticipate and plan for potential failures in a project, reducing the risk of unexpected issues arising.

How to run a meeting using the Pre-Mortem template

The template includes the following sections:

• Possible causes of failure: Try to list the potential reasons why the project might fail.
• Problems that can be addressed beforehand: Encourage the team to come up with issues that can be addressed before they become major problems.
• Strategies to overcome potential issues: What strategies can you think of for overcoming any potential issues that have been identified.

To run the meeting, first, review the possible causes of failure section, and discuss any potential reasons why the project might fail.

Next, review the problems that can be addressed beforehand and discuss any issues that can be addressed before they become major problems.

Finally, review the strategies to overcome potential issues section and discuss any strategies for overcoming any potential issues that have been identified.

When is the best time to use the Pre-Mortem template

The best time to use this template is at the beginning of a project, or at regular intervals throughout a long-term project, to anticipate and plan for potential failures. Additionally, it is a good idea to use this template when there is a significant change in the project direction, or when the project is about to enter a critical phase.

Summary

1. Pre-mortem meetings are an important tool for anticipating and planning for potential failures in a project.
2. The pre-mortem template includes sections for identifying possible causes of failure, problems that can be addressed beforehand, and strategies to overcome potential issues.
3. The template should be used at the beginning of a project or at regular intervals throughout a long-term project to anticipate and plan for potential failures.
4. It is a good idea to use this template when there is a significant change in project direction or when the project is about to enter a critical phase.
5. By using this template, team members can anticipate and plan for potential failures, reducing the risk of unexpected issues arising.