Did you know that pretending your project has already failed could be the secret sauce to success?
According to the research, imagining that an event has already occurred increases the ability to correctly identify reasons for future outcomes by 30%. I will introduce you to a dead simple but highly effective framework: Pre Mortem technique; I hear you say what the hell is that?
In a nutshell, A Pre Mortem is lying out the worst-case scenario (i.e. project failed, deadline missed etc.), tracking back, analysing what led to this (imagined) catastrophe—right down to the underlying causes, and trying to address these issues so that the worst never actually happens.
Three simple steps are:
Step 1: List every possible problem you can imagine. Actively plan out the scenario where things do wrong. Ask yourself the question, “It’s a year from now. Our project has failed. What went wrong?” Make sure all relevant people are doing the same too.
Step 2: Pick the top 5-10 potential problems. Pick problems likely to happen. Discard problems you have no control over.
Step 3: List solutions. Easy-peasy, do what it says. Address these issues so that the worst never actually happens.
Pre Mortem before intentionally, so you wouldn’t deal with an ugly post-mortem later unintentionally.
Emre Guney 