Free Post-Mortem Templates Roundup

By Kate Eby | June 30, 2020

Create a culture of continuous improvement with this roundup of the most useful business post-mortem templates. Choose from a variety of customizable templates, all of which you can download for free. 

Included on this page, you’ll find a project post-mortem checklist, a software post-mortem template, an incident post-mortem report template, and other template options.

Project Post-Mortem Templates

Post-Mortem Report Template

Project Postmortem Report Example

You can use this post-mortem report template to analyze and report on any type of project. Simply edit the questions in the report to reflect your specific project. For example, if you need a marketing post-mortem template, include questions for evaluating your marketing-related planning and strategy, campaign methods, or product launch. The marketing team can then provide useful feedback and determine actionable takeaways. Whether your project succeeded or missed the mark, you should create a thorough post-mortem report to understand how you reached the results you did and what you can do in the future to be more effective.

Download Project Post-Mortem Report Template

Word | PDF

Project Post-Mortem Checklist

Project Postmortem Checklist Template

Ensure consistency in your post-mortems by creating a checklist that includes each step in the process. To track efficiency, mark the checkbox and add a completion date as you fulfill each item. Choose from an Excel or PDF checklist template, and edit it to match your project post-mortem requirements.

Download Project Post-Mortem Checklist

Excel | PDF

Project Post-Mortem Survey Template

Project Postmortem Survey Template

Gathering feedback from your project team is a key part of examining the challenges and successes of a project and finding better ways to work together. This survey template provides an easy way to collect information prior to a post-mortem meeting. Find out what went well and what you could have done better so that you can learn from mistakes and improve future projects. Download the template as an Excel, Word, or PDF file, customize the questions based on your project, and share the answers with stakeholders.

Download Project Post-Mortem Survey Template

Excel | Word | PDF  | Smartsheet

Post-Mortem Meeting Template

Project Postmortem Meeting Agenda Template

You’ll likely schedule a post-mortem meeting within a week of project completion, which leaves little time for preparation. Use the insight you’ve gained from a post-mortem survey or pre-meeting gathering to synthesize the talking points you want to discuss in the meeting. Then organize the agenda with this meeting template. The template includes sections for the date and time of the meeting, the facilitator’s name, the meeting’s objectives, a recap of the project, important lessons, and an action plan. To keep the meeting productive and on track, distribute a copy of the meeting’s agenda to all attendees.

Download Project Post-Mortem Meeting Template

Excel | Word | PDF

Software Post-Mortem Template

Software Project Postmortem Report Template

This template is designed for evaluating a project after completion. The template provides both a broad overview and a deep dive into multiple elements of a project. You can easily modify the template to focus on one aspect of a project, such as software engineering. You can also make the template into an Agile document, so you can conduct retrospectives after each iteration or sprint. Include a project overview, criteria for assessing success, key wins and issues, and ongoing development tasks.

Download Software Post-Mortem Template

Word | PDF

Here you can find more post-mortem related templates.

Incident Post-Mortem Templates

Incident Post-Mortem Checklist

Postmortem Incident Report Template

Make your incident post-mortem procedure more efficient with a checklist template that outlines the process from start to finish. The template includes example steps, which you can edit to fit your company’s approach. Add any crucial details about scheduling and conducting the post-mortem meeting, investigating the incident and creating a clear timeline, crafting internal and external messaging, and other post-mortem activities.

Download Incident Post-Mortem Checklist

Word | PDF

Incident Post-Mortem Report Template

Postmortem Incident Report Template

Create a comprehensive incident post-mortem report that includes the following: an incident summary; details about the incident’s severity, impact, and resolution; and a chronological timeline for the incident. List the name of the incident and that of the post-mortem owner, and provide details about contributing factors and corrective actions. After evaluating the incident and identifying lessons learned, use the post-mortem email template below to share the report internally with your organization.

Download Incident Post-Mortem Report Template

Word | PDF

Post-Mortem Email Template

Postmortem Email Template

After completing the post-mortem meeting, use this email template to send a general message about the incident to company employees. Keep the communication brief, with a short summary of the incident and instructions on how to access post-mortem information. The email template gives you a simple outline to follow as you create your own message.

Download Post-Mortem Email Template

Word | PDF

Root Cause Analysis Template

Identify the root causes of an incident with this analysis template. It includes a series of questions to help you understand what led to the occurrence and what you could have done differently. A root cause analysis is not about placing blame, but rather about gaining clarity in order to implement appropriate solutions and avoid future problems. Combine this template with your post-mortem report to create an in-depth review of incident events, root causes, and planned actions.

Download Root Cause Analysis Template

Excel | Word | PDF

 

Here you can find more IT incident post-mortem related templates. For tips on how to conduct a post-mortem and the right questions to ask, visit our essential guide to business post-mortem. Blameless post-mortem meetings help you identify what went right and wrong on a project without assigning personal blame or losing trust. You can also learn how to run a post-mortem meeting from this article.

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