What is a Pre-mortem? ...and how do you run one?

In this video, I answer the questions, what is a Pre-mortem and how do you run one?

A Pre-mortem is a technique devised by Gary Klein, which he documents in his excellent book, The Power of Intuition: https://geni.us/2mYQYLK

It is a way to find failings in your plan. We have an intrinsic bias that sees our plan as fundamentally accurate. In truth, there may be a fundamental error in the assumptions on which they are based.

The pre-mortem exercise is a way to spot these big divergences and it works because we don’t start with the plan. We start with the outcome and, more than that, with the assumption that our plan fails, and the project is a fiasco.

The Pre-mortem Process
This can work equally well as a live, in-person, event or as an online meeting.

6 Steps

1. Preparation
2. Imagine a Fiasco
3. Generate Reasons for Failure
4. Consolidate the Lists
5. Review your Risk Register and Plan
6. End the session by determining next steps and allocating responsibilities.

Periodically revisit this process to keep your team alert for potential points of failure, and the plan as sharp as possible.


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🎒 A while back, I asked Project Managers in a couple of forums what material things you need to have, to do your job as a Project Manager. They responded magnificently. I compiled their answers into a Kit list.
https://kit.co/MikeClayton/what-a-pro...
Note that the links are affiliated.

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⏱ Chapter Markers...
00:00 - What is a Pre-mortem?
00:13 - The Origin of the Pre-mortem Idea
00:58 - When to use the Pre-mortem
01:27 - What the Pre-mortem does
01:52 - Overcoming bias
02:27 - How the Pre-mortem works
02:57 - Using the Pre-mortem Process
03:16 - Pre-mortem Step 1
03:33 - Pre-mortem Step 2
04:12 - Pre-mortem Step 3
04:29 - Pre-mortem Step 4
04:50 - Pre-mortem Step 5
05:08 - Pre-mortem Step 6
05:18 - Rinse & Repeat!


#RiskManagement #ProjectManagement #PreMortem