Pre-Mortem Workshop
This pre-mortem helps teams imagine a realistic failure, expose hidden risks, and turn them into specific, owned actions. It builds sharper thinking, stronger plans, and greater shared responsibility for success.
✓ Created by former KPMG & McKinsey consultants
What You'll Achieve with the Pre-Mortem Workshop
Real outcomes that transform your team
Identify a clear list of potential failure causes for the project.
Prioritize the most serious risks to focus on.
Develop concrete actions to mitigate identified risks.
When to Use the Pre-Mortem Workshop
Perfect for these situations and team challenges
When a project team is starting a new initiative and wants to anticipate potential failures.
For cross-functional teams tackling complex projects that require diverse perspectives.
How the Pre-Mortem Workshop Works
A step-by-step breakdown of the workshop process
1Step 1. Set The Scene And Create Safety
In this step, participants are welcomed and the purpose of the pre-mortem is established, emphasizing a blame-free environment to discuss potential project failures. The project scope and timeline are clarified to set the context for the discussion.
2Step 2. Imagine Total Failure
Participants are guided to envision a scenario where the project has failed. This mindset shift encourages them to identify possible causes for the failure by writing down their thoughts individually.
3Step 3. Share And Cluster Causes In Small Groups
Small groups are formed to share and categorize the identified failure causes. This collaborative effort helps in recognizing patterns and selecting the most concerning issues for further discussion.
4
Key Topics Covered in the Pre-Mortem Workshop
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