How to Run a Post-Mortem Meeting: A Guide to Continuous Improvement

Imagine launching a new product that was supposed to be a game-changer, only to see it fall flat due to unforeseen technical glitches, an ill thought out business model, and misaligned marketing messages. It hurts badly, I can tell you, and for Shutta it very nearly bankrupted us. It was late 2017, we knew that mobile app behaviour was changing, social media’s impact and influence was changing, and so we decided – for all the right reasons – that our Photo from Video app had to change too. 

We set to work developing Location Missions: challenges and treasure hunts that our users could complete to earn rewards from participating outlets in the real world. We had been repeatedly asked by business to solve the problem of turning online engagement into offline conversion, and Location Missions was it. We developed a 360° business model that would lock our users in from when they engaged with the content in our app, through to visiting Location partners and redeeming the rewards using our Mobile Wallet partner. It was ingenious, or so we self-aggrandizingly told ourselves. 

I still cringe when I think back to the day we launched in February 2018. We had run out of funds, and our pivot had become a make-or-break moment. Still riding on the success of the original Photo Missions app, we had been able to invite some press and Venture Capital funds who had been keeping an eye on what we were up to over the past years. Awkwardly, the venue we had chosen for the launch was too big for our guestlist, and our launch party mostly just showed that we were burned out, exhausted, and desperate. 

Journalists and VCs can smell weakness, and they were merciless in their assessment of our grandiose pivot. We stubbornly pushed forward and, over the following six months, each of the concerns raised by them came to pass. Not only had Location Missions flopped spectacularly, by persisting we had caused irreparable damage to our original Photo Missions business model. 

These are the moments when post-mortems become invaluable. Post-mortem meetings are one of the most valuable tools for teams to learn from their experiences and improve for the future. They’re not about dwelling on failure but about extracting wisdom from experience. Facing a painful failure head on will pave the way for future success. Here’s how to run a successful post-mortem meeting:

Objectives of a Post-Mortem Meeting

1. Identify Successes: What went well? Celebrate the wins to reinforce positive practices and acknowledge individual and team contributions.
2. Analyze Challenges: What didn’t go as planned? Understanding the root causes of problems helps prevent them in the future and fosters a culture of learning.
3. Develop Actionable Takeaways: Turn lessons learned into concrete steps for improvement, ensuring they are specific, measurable, and achievable.
4. Foster Open Communication: Create a safe space for honest feedback without assigning blame, promoting trust and collaboration among team members.

Before the Meeting

1. Gather Data: Compile relevant metrics, reports, and feedback from the project or event. This includes quantitative data (e.g., timelines, budgets) and qualitative input (e.g., team feedback).
2. Set the Tone: Emphasize that the goal is to learn and improve, not to criticize. Share this intention with participants beforehand to set expectations.
3. Create an Agenda:
   • Overview of the project
   • Highlights of successes
   • Discussion of challenges
   • Key Learnings 
   • Actionable takeaways & steps

A clear agenda helps keep the meeting focused and ensures all key areas are covered.

During the Meeting

1. Start with Positives:
   • Begin by discussing what went well to set a constructive tone. Start by asking the team to share their perspectives: “What do you think were our biggest wins this time?” or “Who would you like to recognize for their contributions?” This encourages active participation and ensures everyone’s voice is heard.
   • After gathering input, summarize the positives and highlight key successes. For example: “Our streamlined workflow saved us 10 hours this sprint, thanks to Anna’s automation suggestion.”
2. Analyze Challenges:
   • Use open-ended questions like, “What could we have done differently?” or “What obstacles did we encounter?”
   • Encourage everyone to participate by making it clear that all feedback is valuable.
   • Introduce the concept of Hansei, a Japanese practice of self-reflection, where the focus is on identifying areas for improvement without assigning blame. This can help participants view challenges as opportunities for growth and foster a mindset of continuous learning. 
   • Highlight recurring issues like delayed approvals and brainstorm ways to address them.
3. Identify Patterns:
   • Look for recurring issues or themes that need addressing at a systemic level.
   • Encourage the team to think collectively about patterns by asking questions like, “Have we encountered similar challenges in past projects?” or “What underlying factors might connect these issues?”
   • Use visual aids such as timelines or cause-and-effect diagrams to help map out recurring problems. For example, if miscommunication repeatedly arises, a fishbone diagram can help identify whether it stems from unclear roles, insufficient tools, or inconsistent meeting schedules.
4. Focus on Solutions:
   • Shift the focus from identifying problems to brainstorming actionable solutions by framing the transition explicitly. For example, say, “Now that we’ve identified the key challenges, let’s think about how we can address them effectively.”
   • Use collaborative techniques such as round-robin brainstorming, where each participant offers one solution, or group activities like mind mapping to visualize ideas.
   • Encourage creative problem-solving by asking questions like, “What’s one small change we could implement immediately?” or “If resources weren’t a limitation, how would we solve this?”
   • Summarize and refine ideas as a team, ensuring they are practical and actionable. For example, if communication has been identified as a recurring issue, the team might agree on setting up a shared project tracker or scheduling weekly check-ins to improve alignment.
5. Assign Ownership:
   • Turn insights into action items with clear owners and deadlines. Use tools like project management software to track progress.

After the Meeting

1. Document Insights:
   • Summarize key takeaways and share them with the team. Use a shared document or project management tool to track follow-ups. Ensure the document is accessible for future reference.
2. Follow Up:
   • Schedule a check-in to ensure action items are progressing. Regular updates keep momentum and accountability high.

Tips for a Productive Post-Mortem

• Create a Blame-Free Zone: Focus on processes and systems, not individuals. Set this tone by modeling constructive feedback yourself. Encourage team members to frame issues as opportunities for improvement rather than assigning blame. For example, say, “Let’s explore what adjustments to the workflow could prevent delays,” instead of pointing fingers. This ensures participants feel safe sharing candid feedback and makes solutions the shared focus.
• Involve All Stakeholders: Include team members from different roles to gain diverse perspectives and uncover blind spots. Encourage everyone to contribute by asking specific questions like, “What challenges did your team face during this process?” or “Were there any tools or workflows that felt particularly effective or inefficient?” Use structured activities like roundtable discussions or breakout groups to make participation easier and more collaborative.
• Be Specific: Avoid vague feedback; detail what worked, what didn’t, and why. Example: “The marketing materials were delayed because the design team didn’t have access to the updated branding guidelines.” Avoid statements like, “Everything just felt unorganized,” which lack actionable insights and don’t pinpoint areas for improvement.
• Highlight Positivity: Balance critiques with recognition of successes to keep morale high.

Downloadable Checklist

Click here to download the Post-Mortem Meeting Checklist.

Surviving Failure

It hurt badly to fail as spectacularly as we did when we launched Shutta Location Missions. It nearly bankrupted the company, and it nearly broke me. Yet here I am today, seven years later, still heading up a company called Shutta. Thanks to a great team that had the courage to examine how our disjointed work methods led to an existential crisis, and their resourcefulness in finding and adapting a methodology to mitigate the impact of future failures, along with a bit of good luck, we were able to pivot once again in late 2018 and transform into the successful digital transformation company that Shutta is today. It is not that we have stopped failing, we just learned to embrace our failures earlier on and use them as a stepping stone to success.

Final Thoughts

A successful post-mortem isn’t just about dissecting the past; it’s about shaping the future. By running these meetings with intention and structure, you create a culture of continuous learning and improvement. Participants leave with clarity, actionable steps, and a renewed sense of collaboration.

Ready to take your team to the next level? Schedule your post-mortem meeting today and start implementing these strategies for continuous improvement.