Risk Management - 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. Recommended Videos Carefully curated video recommendations for you: 🎬 How to Identify Project Risks https://youtu.be/iELLdd6Yr4Y 🎬 4 Types of Project Risk - Different Forms of Uncertainty https://youtu.be/iOFjmR3-sqk 🎬 How to Create a Risk Management Plan https://youtu.be/9MAHX2Wv8pk 🎬 What to Put in Your Risk Register (Risk Log) https://youtu.be/vkEPGFVVwfM 🎬 Project Risk Management - How to Manage Project Risk https://youtu.be/xXV_gjtXMSk 🎒 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-project-manager-needs Note that the links are affiliated. 🎬 For more great Project Management videos, please subscribe to this channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMZfp1_wquyegVY9SoER0Nw?sub_confirmation=1 🎁 For all our great Project Management articles and resources, please check out the OnlinePMCourses website: https://onlinepmcourses.com/ 🏛 For basic Management Courses - free training hosted on YouTube, with 2 new management lessons a week, check out our sister channel, Management Courses: http://youtube.com/c/managementcourses 🎓 For more of our Project Management videos in themed collections, join our Free Academy of Project Management: https://onlinepmcourses.com/free-academy-of-project-management/ ⏱ 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