PL-09 Sample v1.0 · updated 1 Aug 2026
Run a pre-mortem: imagine the plan failed and find out why
Assumes the plan has already failed, lists the most plausible reasons, and turns each into an early warning sign and a cheap precaution.
- Task
- Plan
- Level
- Practitioner
- Placeholders
- 2
- Works with
- Reasoning, Chat, Local
Here is a plan:
"""
{{plan}}
"""
Imagine it is {{timeframe}} from now and the plan has clearly failed.
1. Write the six most plausible reasons it failed. Prefer specific, ordinary causes (people, timing, dependencies, assumptions) over dramatic ones.
2. For each reason, give an early warning sign we could notice in the first few weeks.
3. For each reason, suggest one precaution that costs little and could be done now.
4. Name the single assumption in the plan that, if wrong, does the most damage.
Present 1 to 3 as a table with the columns Reason, Warning sign, Precaution.
Words in double braces are placeholders. Replace them before you send the prompt, here or in your tool.
Fill in the prompt
Filling in on the page needs JavaScript. Copy the prompt by selecting it, then replace each placeholder in your tool.
| Placeholder | What to put there | Example |
|---|---|---|
{{plan}} | The plan. Goal, steps, people and timeline. A rough outline is fine. | Move the team newsletter from email to a shared site by the end of the quarter... |
{{timeframe}} | When it would have failed. Usually the planned end date. | six months |
Is it the right prompt?
Use it when
- You are about to commit time or money to a plan.
- Everyone agrees, and nobody has argued the other side.
Skip it when
- The plan is already under way and cannot change; use a review instead.
- You need a formal risk assessment for a regulator.
How to adapt it
- You run it with a group
- Have each person write their own reasons first, then compare them with the model's list.
- The table is too generic
- Add the names of the real dependencies and teams to the plan.
Check the answer
Before you rely on the result, confirm that:
- Reasons are specific to your plan, not general project risks.
- Every warning sign can be observed in the first weeks.
- Precautions are cheap and could be started now.
Watch out for
- Effect on people Keep the discussion about the plan, not about individuals named in it.
Revision history
| Version | Date | Change |
|---|---|---|
| v1.0 | First sample version. |