Here's how you can conduct a post-mortem analysis after a failed Business Innovation project.
When innovation doesn't pan out as expected, it's natural to feel disheartened. However, every failed business innovation project is an opportunity to learn and grow. Conducting a post-mortem analysis allows you to dissect what went wrong and how to improve future initiatives. This process isn't about assigning blame; it's a constructive way to evaluate and enhance your business strategies. So, let's dive into how you can effectively perform a post-mortem on your unsuccessful project and turn setbacks into stepping stones for success.
Before you can analyze your failed project, you need to collect all relevant data. This includes project plans, timelines, budgets, correspondence, and feedback. Ensure you have a comprehensive understanding of the project's scope and objectives. Having all the pertinent information at your fingertips will help you identify where things may have gone off track. This step is critical because it lays the groundwork for an insightful post-mortem analysis.
Bringing together the right people is crucial for a successful post-mortem analysis. Include team members who were directly involved with the project, as well as stakeholders and possibly an impartial third party. Encourage an atmosphere of openness and honesty, where participants feel safe to share their perspectives without fear of reprisal. This diverse array of insights will provide a well-rounded view of the project's shortcomings and successes.
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JL Suarez, MBA
🏆 26 x LinkedIn Top Voice: 🚀Senior Manager of Corporate Insights, Analytics, and Data at Holiday Inn Club Vacations🌐: Inspiring Innovation & Leadership in Business Intelligence📊
Innovation thrives on diverse perspectives. As a leader in Business Intelligence, I've seen the power of assembling a team that brings different experiences and viewpoints to the table. It's not just about finding out what went wrong, but also celebrating what went right and learning from both. Encouraging open dialogue in a safe space can lead to breakthroughs and prevent future missteps. Remember, every post-mortem is a stepping stone to your next big success! 🚀💡 #TeamworkMakesTheDreamWork #InnovationPostMortem
Once your team is assembled, start identifying what went wrong. Look for patterns or recurring issues that could have contributed to the failure. Was it a lack of resources, poor timing, or maybe a misalignment with market needs? Discuss these points candidly, but remember the goal is not to point fingers. Focus on the process and decisions made rather than individual performance.
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Marina Lima
Engenheira Civil | Consultora | Inovação | ESG | Lean | AWP | Indústria 5.0
- Realize uma revisão detalhada do cronograma do projeto, identificando pontos críticos onde surgiram problemas; - Promova uma discussão aberta e honesta entre os membros da equipe para identificar problemas específicos que ocorreram durante o projeto. Encoraje a comunicação franca sem atribuição de culpa; - Crie uma matriz de problemas que liste todos os problemas identificados, suas descrições e impactos no projeto.
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Johannes Antoni
Senior Innovation Consultant | Ex-BCG
It's also helpful to conduct a root cause analysis workshop involving key team members. This approach ensures you not only identify surface-level issues but also understand deeper systemic problems that may be affecting your projects repeatedly. This way, solutions can be more holistic and sustainable.
After pinpointing the issues, delve deeper into their causes. This involves looking at the decision-making process, assessing whether there were any gaps in knowledge or skills, and considering external factors that may have influenced the outcome. Understanding the root causes behind the failure is vital for preventing similar issues in future projects. This step is often the most challenging but also the most enlightening.
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Marina Lima
Engenheira Civil | Consultora | Inovação | ESG | Lean | AWP | Indústria 5.0
- Método dos 5 porquês: para identificar as causas raiz de cada problema; - Diagrama de Ishikawa (ou diagrama de espinha de peixe): para categorizar e visualizar as causas dos problemas em áreas como pessoas, processos, tecnologia e ambiente; - Análise de impacto: avalie o impacto de cada causa identificada no resultado do projeto. Isso ajudará a priorizar quais causas necessitam de mais atenção para evitar futuros fracassos.
The most valuable outcome of a post-mortem analysis is the lessons learned. Distill the insights from your discussions into actionable takeaways that can improve processes, communication, and decision-making. This might include implementing new protocols, providing additional training, or adjusting your innovation strategy. Ensure these lessons are documented and shared with the wider organization to foster continuous improvement.
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Marina Lima
Engenheira Civil | Consultora | Inovação | ESG | Lean | AWP | Indústria 5.0
- Documente todas as lições aprendidas de maneira estruturada. Inclua detalhes sobre o que funcionou, o que não funcionou e por quê; - Compartilhe as lições aprendidas com toda a organização para que outros projetos possam se beneficiar dessas informações; - Revise e atualize políticas e procedimentos internos com base nas lições aprendidas para melhorar a gestão de futuros projetos.
Finally, use the insights gained from your post-mortem analysis to inform your next steps. Develop a plan to address the identified issues and apply the lessons learned to upcoming projects. This is also a good time to recognize any successes that occurred during the project and consider how they can be replicated in the future. Moving forward with a clear action plan will help turn the experience of failure into a foundation for future success.
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Marina Lima
Engenheira Civil | Consultora | Inovação | ESG | Lean | AWP | Indústria 5.0
- Desenvolva um plano de ação para abordar as causas dos problemas identificados. Inclua etapas específicas, responsáveis e prazos para implementação; - Ofereça treinamento adicional e desenvolvimento profissional para a equipe com base nas áreas de melhoria identificadas; - Estabeleça um sistema de monitoramento para acompanhar a implementação das ações corretivas e realizar revisões periódicas para garantir a eficácia.
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Franco Iovi Vollbrecht
Subgerente de Innovación en Inteligencia Artificial
When we carry out a project successfully, in general we assume that it was accomplished due to internal factors (such as the preparation of the team members, good management, good timing) but when a project fails, we usually blame external factors (scarce resources, blockages, problems with stakeholders). It is extremely important to understand that in both success and failure there are internal and external elements that influence the result, and with this in mind review both the good things and bad things that occurred during the development of the project. This practice is useful both when we are successful and when we fail.
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Marina Lima
Engenheira Civil | Consultora | Inovação | ESG | Lean | AWP | Indústria 5.0
- Comunicação transparente: mantenha uma comunicação transparente e regular com todos os stakeholders durante o processo de análise post-mortem para garantir alinhamento e engajamento; - Revisão regular: realize análises post-mortem não apenas após fracassos, mas também após sucessos, para identificar e replicar práticas eficazes; - Próximos passos: defina claramente os próximos passos após a análise post-mortem, garantindo que as lições aprendidas sejam integradas nas práticas futuras e que a equipe esteja motivada para continuar inovando.
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