Conducting a Good Post Mortem on Your Project

You have successfully completed a project and have already delivered it to the client, but the job is not done yet, as one final step is left before you move on to the next project, which is the Project Post Mortem. The name may sound a little awkward, but it refers to the process in which the project participants gather in a meeting and assess how the project went. It enables the team members to look at the overall progress of the project along with the difficulties and errors occurred during its operation.

The ultimate goal for project post mortems is to realize and put into action, ideas for improving the productivity and quality of service in the next project. A project post mortem is usually performed at the end of the project and serves as a continuous improvement tool.

Steps for Conducting a Project Post Mortem

First of all, include the project post mortem as a necessary task on your project plan. When the project is discussed at the beginning, explain what it is all about to all those involved, so that they will know what they have to expect and do when the time comes.

Note down a series of possible questions that can be asked from the different members during the session. These questions may be concerned with the different phases of the project, and shed light on different areas like vendor, planning, project management, communication plan, client's feedback, etc.

Send a memo, reminding the team members about the post mortem. It would be better if the questions or topics to be discussed are sent in advance so that everyone comes prepared. The goal of such a meeting is that everyone feels comfortable in participating in the discussion, and in presenting his or her viewpoint freely.

During the post mortem, make sure both the room and environment is comfortable, and that team members are not disturbed during the meeting. If possible, ask them beforehand not to engage in any other task like using their laptop or cell phone, so that everyone gives their full attention to the meeting. Also, place pads and pens in front of everyone to note down key points.At the end of the meeting or in another session, readout the summary of the compiled report generated from the project post mortem.

Discuss the process and share the major outcomes, and ask the members to note down the lessons that have been learnt. You can also make a draft of the outcomes and send it to everyone so that they know they're opinions were considered important and that they're ideas were actually heard.

Final Words

A project post mortem is necessary for highlighting what you have achieved, what mistakes were made, and how they can be avoided in the next project. It helps in developing best practices for project management and promotes a sense of closure.

Project post mortems should be carried out at the end of each project and must be recorded as a written summary of the team members' feedback. This allows all the participants to contribute better in the next meeting and allows everyone to learn something important for the future.


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