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Pre-Mortem Protocol

Imagine the project failed entirely a year from now; list 7 plausible reasons before starting.

40 min Intermediate

Goal

Surface risks group optimism conceals via inverted "imagine the outcome".

Steps

1

Gather the team. "Today + 1 year. The project utterly failed".

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Expected Outcome

Immediate

You leave with 5 risks + counters before any costs you.

Evidence base

School: Naturalistic Decision Making

Founders: Gary Klein (2007)

Klein — HBR article (2007) "Performing a Project Premortem" — derived from firefighter & military decision research.

Frequently asked questions

How long does "Pre-Mortem Protocol" take?

This exercise takes about 40 minutes, practiced in a group in a Written reflection format.

When will I notice the effect of "Pre-Mortem Protocol"?

You leave with 5 risks + counters before any costs you. In the short term: In 3 months, 2-3 causes would have hit without counters.

Is "Pre-Mortem Protocol" evidence-based?

Yes — it draws on Naturalistic Decision Making (Gary Klein (2007)). Klein — HBR article (2007) "Performing a Project Premortem" — derived from firefighter & military decision research.

Is "Pre-Mortem Protocol" suitable for beginners?

Its difficulty level is: Intermediate. No external tools required — it can be practiced directly inside the app.

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