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Premortem – Envisioning What Could Go Wrong in Advance

Premortem is going through all things that might go wrong in future in regard to a project, study, idea, business, relationship that is yet to be executed. This envisioning should not be a negative thinking. It should be positive. It should be to make sure that the project is a success.

Premortem – Envisioning What Could Go Wrong in Advance


By getting an idea about things that could go wrong or will go wrong, we can avoid them. Even if we cannot avoid them, we can easily identify what went wrong after implementation.

Quite often we are not ready to accept the fact that everything might not go exactly as we wish. So doing an analysis of why the project failed even before its execution will help us in developing a back up plan.

There are several preventable reasons which we ignore while starting a new project by doing a premortem we can easily find and mitigate such issues.

Applying this in a relationship will help us in having a smooth rapport.

By Hindu Blog

A premortem is a proactive strategy used by project teams to envision potential failures before they happen, allowing them to address risks and develop contingency plans ahead of time. The term "premortem" is inspired by the concept of a postmortem, which analyzes what went wrong after a project has failed. By conducting a premortem, teams can better prepare for possible pitfalls and improve the likelihood of success. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to conduct a premortem:

Steps to Conduct a Premortem

Define the Project and Goals: Clearly outline the project’s objectives, scope, and timeline. Ensure all team members understand the purpose and goals of the project.

Assemble the Team: Gather all key stakeholders, including project managers, team members, and any relevant experts. A diverse group can provide a wide range of perspectives on potential issues.

Explain the Premortem Process: Brief the team on the premortem concept and its importance. Emphasize that the exercise is about identifying potential risks, not pointing fingers.

Imagine the Worst-Case Scenario: Ask the team to envision that the project has failed spectacularly. Encourage them to think about all possible reasons for the failure without any constraints.

Generate Failure Scenarios: Each team member should independently list as many reasons as they can for the project’s hypothetical failure. These reasons can range from strategic missteps to technical issues, resource constraints, external factors, etc.

Share and Consolidate Ideas: Have team members share their lists of potential failures. Compile these ideas into a comprehensive list, grouping similar items together.

Prioritize Risks: Assess the likelihood and impact of each identified risk. Prioritize the risks based on their potential severity and the probability of occurrence.

Develop Mitigation Strategies: For each high-priority risk, brainstorm potential solutions, preventive measures, or contingency plans. Consider assigning responsibilities and deadlines for implementing these strategies.

Document the Premortem: Record the identified risks, their prioritization, and the proposed mitigation strategies. Ensure this document is accessible to all team members and is regularly updated throughout the project lifecycle.

Review and Monitor: Periodically revisit the premortem findings as the project progresses. Adjust strategies and plans as new information or risks emerge.

Benefits of a Premortem

Improved Risk Management: Identifying potential problems in advance allows for proactive risk management.

Enhanced Team Communication: Facilitates open discussion and collaboration among team members.

Increased Project Success Rate: By anticipating issues, teams can implement measures to avoid or mitigate them, increasing the likelihood of project success.

Reduced Surprises: Helps in minimizing unexpected challenges and crises during the project lifecycle.

Example Scenario

Imagine a software development project aiming to launch a new mobile application in six months. During the premortem, the team identifies several potential failures, such as:

  • Delays in development due to technical challenges.
  • Lack of user adoption because of insufficient market research.
  • Budget overruns due to scope creep.
  • Key team members leaving the project unexpectedly.

For each of these risks, the team brainstorms mitigation strategies:

  • Technical Challenges: Allocate additional resources for testing and create a more flexible timeline with buffer periods.
  • Market Research: Conduct thorough user research and beta testing early in the project to gather feedback and adjust features accordingly.
  • Budget Overruns: Implement strict change control processes and regularly review the budget against actual expenditures.
  • Team Member Turnover: Develop a knowledge management system and ensure that multiple team members are familiar with critical aspects of the project.

By taking these steps, the project team is better equipped to handle potential issues and steer the project toward a successful completion.