Project premortem
Brainstorm and identify possible ways a project could fail before it begins. Work backward from the point of failure with this project premortem template.
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Prevent the death of your project with a premortem
Projects face many perils, especially in the planning stages. It’s helpful to plan for the worst, and a premortem exercise will help you figure out what could potentially threaten the project before it even begins. This allows you to build preventative measures into your planning right from the start.
Try our free premortem exercise template. It’s highly customizable and can be used either remotely or in person as a collaborative project planning exercise for your team.
Use the project premortem template in Lucidspark
To start, fill out each section in order. If you are working with your team, hold a meeting and preface the exercise by briefing the team on the project. Then, inform them that the project has (hypothetically) failed, and it is their job to figure out why.
Divide the team up, assign sticky note colors, and delegate areas of the canvas for them to work in. Set a timer and encourage team members to brainstorm every possible reason they can think of as to why this project may have failed. They should list their ideas on sticky notes.
After the canvas is filled with ideas, create a comprehensive list of them all, grouping similar ideas together. From there, you can take steps to alter your project plan accordingly.
With the right inspiration, this premortem will be a valuable planning resource to help you mitigate issues and set up your project for success.
