24 Pre-Mortem Templates For Your Next Planning Workshop

The term “pre-mortem” has yet to make its way into the dictionary, but the approach isn’t new. For millennia, Buddhists have practiced Maranasati, a meditation in which you consider your own mortality.

By embracing the inevitability of death, Maranasati helps us appreciate the present and better prepare for life’s challenges. In a pre-mortem, we apply this ancient wisdom to a somewhat lower-stakes pursuit: your team’s project.

In a pre-mortem, we flip the traditional post-mortem and examine a project’s hypothetical demise before it meets a bitter end. You dissect potential pitfalls, setbacks, and risks lurking in a project’s shadows, so you’re well-prepared to prevent failures and finish your project alive and well.

This article gives you 23 pre-mortem ideas so you can confront any situation and stave off disaster. Each template has been crafted with a distinct approach and emphasis, so you can pick the one that best suits your situation.

Project management and execution pre-mortem ideas

Risk management pre-mortem ideas

Fun pre-mortem ideas

Stakeholder management and communication pre-mortem ideas

Agile and Scrum pre-mortem ideas

✨ All pre-mortem templates originally created by Parabol unless noted otherwise ✨

These template ideas let you manage projects with vision and precision. They help you navigate challenges, allocate resources, and manage your timeline with the foresight of a seasoned project manager.

Work backward from failure to uncover hidden risks

“Why did the project fail?” is like the Margherita pizza of pre-mortem ideas – it’s the classic approach for conducting pre-mortems.

In this format, teams imagine the project has already failed and work backward to find potential reasons for the failure. This template effectively uncovers hidden risks and stimulates proactive problem-solving – all based around one simple question.

Chart a course to success that avoids pitfalls to create a winning strategy

The Success and Failure pre-mortem forms a road map for your project, highlighting the route to success and the potential hazards along the way.

This pre-mortem idea asks team members to envision the project’s ultimate triumph and possible setbacks. By anticipating positive outcomes and obstacles, teams can create a winning strategy and steer around pitfalls.

Navigate roadblocks and streamline teamwork for peak performance

Picture having a GPS for your project that guides you around roadblocks and puts you in synchronized motion with your coworkers – meet the Team Efficiency pre-mortem.

This technique finds factors that might slow down your team, cause bottlenecks, or require extra support. Addressing these concerns in advance can enhance team efficiency and help you stay on track to meet deadlines.

Handle the twists and turns of project challenges with agility and foresight

Transform your project planning into an Obstacle Course pre-mortem and train your team to conquer challenges like an athlete. By anticipating the hurdles, pitfalls, and twists in your project’s path, you can develop strategies to overcome each obstacle and confidently reach the finish line.

Prepare for potential roadblocks at every stage of your project

The Timeline pre-mortem examines your upcoming project from start to finish. This template focuses on potential challenges at different project stages, helping you anticipate and prepare for obstacles along the way.

The timeline pre-mortem questions include suggestions for typical issues you might face at each stage, but feel free to add your own by customizing it!

Fine-tune your resources for a flawless project performance

The Resource Allocation pre-mortem turns your team into a finely tuned orchestra, with all resources playing harmoniously to create a beautiful symphony of project success.

This template prompts teams to think about potential gaps and challenges related to people, time, budget, and tools. By addressing these concerns early on, you can optimize resource allocation and pave the way for a smoother and more successful project.

Transform the worst case scenario into the best possible outcome

The Best/Worst Case Scenario pre-mortem acts as a crystal ball that reveals the potential outcomes of your project.

This approach prompts teams to envision the best and worst-case scenarios and develop actions to turn potential pitfalls into triumphs. By preparing for adversity and striving for excellence, you can confidently navigate challenges and achieve your project goals.

These pre-mortem templates give you the clarity of a monk in deep meditation and illuminate the darkest corners of potential project risks. By identifying and managing threats proactively, you’ll bring balance to your project’s journey and walk the path to success with greater certainty.

Find the biggest risks and take preventive action to prevent problems

The Risks and Precautions pre-mortem is like an insurance policy for your project. This template helps teams find the most significant risks and develop proactive measures to minimize their impact. By addressing potential issues in advance, you can create a smoother project journey by being prepared for challenges that may come up.

Shine a light on hidden threats for proactive risk management

Imagine equipping your team with night-vision goggles to reveal the unseen. The Blind Spot pre-mortem does just that for your projects: this template uncovers both apparent and hidden threats lurking in the shadows.

To expose unknown risks, team members must get creative and look at the project from unexpected perspectives. For example, they could ask, “What if our competitor releases a similar product before us?” or confront unforeseen scenarios such as, “What if our main developer falls ill during a critical phase?”

The team can identify and address previously undetected risks by challenging assumptions and viewing the project from surprising angles.

Explore tailored scenarios for targeted risk mitigation

The What if… pre-mortem is like a choose-your-own-adventure book for risk management. This adaptable template invites you to identify and address risks by asking targeted questions and developing ways to reduce those risks. By tailoring the process to their context, teams can delve into the unique risks of their project.

🤖 Not sure what risk to [insert]? Try using an AI tool like ChatGPT with the following prompt: “Please generate a comprehensive list of risks (big, small; obvious, not obvious) we should consider during a pre-mortem at the start of a {insert your project type} project, so we can try to mitigate them.

Assess project risks with color-coded precision

Inspired by color-coded threat assessment systems, the Threat Level pre-mortem assigns risk levels to potential issues, helping teams identify the severity of potential challenges.

This template encourages a thorough evaluation of each risk, allowing teams to allocate resources and develop strategies based on the threat level. Like real-world threat assessments, each classification warrants different actions and attention.

Prioritize problems by probability for strategic action planning

The “How Likely to Fail?” pre-mortem makes predicting and prioritizing problems possible by looking at how likely they are to happen. This pre-mortem template helps a team to figure out what risks are most important to focus on and how to fix them.

Balance optimism with a reality check for a more robust project plan

The Excited and Worried pre-mortem mixes a healthy dose of optimism with a splash of reality. It’s the pre-mortem version of the Hopes and Fears futurespective. This template encourages team members to share both their excitement and concerns about the project. This approach ensures excitement doesn’t blind them to potential issues while preventing negativity from draining motivation before the project starts.

These entertaining pre-mortem templates challenge conventional thinking and inspire creative problem-solving while adding a touch of lightheartedness to the serious business of risk mitigation.

Tackle threats of all shapes and sizes to fortify your project against failure

Let Iguanas, Crocodiles, and Komodo Dragons help your team confront and conquer threats of varying sizes and predictability.

By differentiating between harmless Iguanas and formidable Komodo Dragons, you can design appropriate strategies for each potential threat to your project’s success.

Serve a cocktail of optimism and caution to increase project success

The Glass Half-Empty vs. Half-Full pre-mortem is a well-rounded approach that invites team members to reflect on a project’s strengths and vulnerabilities. This template ensures teams capitalize on their competencies and address weaknesses, making the project more likely to succeed.

Spot danger on the horizon before it devours your project

Embark on a Safari pre-mortem and traverse the wild terrain and dangers of a typical project. Catch risks that may emerge on the horizon, lie in wait, or lurk right under your nose. Don’t forget to bring binoculars, sturdy boots, and a hat for the sun!

Unleash the genius within to tackle wild and unexpected risks

Summon your inner mad scientist and concoct imaginative solutions to the wild and unexpected risks that threaten your project. The Mad Scientist pre-mortem encourages your team to think outside the box, experiment, and innovate to tackle even the most unpredictable challenges.

Sail over treacherous waters and avoid capsizing your project

Set sail on a Uncertain Waters pre-mortem and chart a course through the uncertainties and unknowns of your project. Your team can reach its project destination without drowning by plotting a path around potential storms, hidden reefs, and other dangers.

Predict the future to change the course of history your project for the better

Step inside the mystical world of the Fortune Teller pre-mortem and unlock the secrets of your project’s future. By predicting potential issues and exploring their impact, your team can devise strategies to improve the course of the project.

These templates encourage compassionate communication and support you in the delicate dance of stakeholder management. By creating a harmonious project environment, you can ensure a smoother journey toward your goals.

Anticipate and address stakeholder concerns for a smoother project journey.

Use the Stakeholder Concerns pre-mortem to consider the perspectives of everyone involved in your project. Understanding and addressing their concerns in advance builds stronger relationships, improves communication, and prevents later conflict on your project journey.

Prevent misunderstandings and miscommunication from derailing your project

The Communication Breakdown pre-mortem is like a stress test for your project’s communication channels. By identifying potential communication issues, you can strengthen the flow of information and enhance collaboration, ensuring that your project stays on track.

These Agile and Scrum pre-mortem ideas ensure your team remains nimble and responsive. With a focus on collaboration and continuous improvement, you can tackle challenges unique to Agile environments and steer your project toward success.

For Scrum teams that need a fresh start to their sprints

The Scrum sprint pre-mortem is an excellent way to analyze, anticipate, and avoid potential problems during your Scrum events.

This template works well as a futurespective for new teams or groups who need a break from their regular Scrum cycle and a fresh look at how they run their events.

Identify and conquer challenges unique to each team member’s role

The Scrum Roles pre-mortem recognizes that each team member wears a unique hat with distinct responsibilities and challenges. This idea guides you to pinpoint and tackle potential obstacles specific to each Scrum role – Scrum Master, Developer, and Product Owner – so everyone can perform at their best and contribute to the project’s success.

Incorporating pre-mortem ideas into your project planning process can be as enlightening as a session of Maranasati meditation, allowing your team to foresee challenges, develop countermeasures, and boost project resilience.

Whether taking on a colossal endeavor or a minor task, these pre-mortem ideas will enable you to embrace uncertainty with the confidence and determination of a seasoned Zen master. So, embark on your ambitious projects armed with the knowledge and tools to overcome any obstacles you might face.

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