Here's how you can conduct a post-mortem analysis after a failed engineering design project.

1 Gather Data

The first step in a post-mortem analysis is to collect all relevant data from the failed project. This includes design documents, project timelines, communication records, and any other materials that can provide insight into the project's lifecycle. You must approach this task without bias, aiming to create a comprehensive repository of information. This data will serve as the foundation for your analysis, helping you to identify where things began to deviate from the plan.

2 Team Feedback

Once you have all the data, it's crucial to involve your team in the post-mortem process. Organize a meeting where everyone can share their perspectives on what went wrong. Encourage open and honest communication, ensuring that team members feel safe to express their thoughts without fear of retribution. This feedback is invaluable, as it provides a multi-faceted view of the project and can highlight issues that may not be apparent from the data alone.

3 Identify Issues

With the data and team feedback at hand, start identifying the key issues that contributed to the failure. Look for patterns or recurring themes in the information you've gathered. This could range from technical shortcomings, such as inadequate materials or design flaws, to process-oriented problems like communication breakdowns or project management errors. Recognizing these issues is critical for learning from past mistakes and avoiding them in future projects.

4 Root Causes

After pinpointing the issues, delve deeper to uncover the root causes. This involves asking "why" repeatedly until you arrive at the fundamental reason behind each problem. For instance, if a component failed, ask why it failed, why it wasn't detected earlier, and why the design allowed for such a failure. Understanding these underlying causes is essential for implementing effective corrective actions.

5 Corrective Actions

Once the root causes are clear, develop a set of corrective actions designed to prevent similar failures in the future. These actions might involve changes to your design process, quality control measures, or team communication strategies. It's important that these actions are specific, measurable, and assigned to individuals or teams with clear deadlines for implementation. This ensures accountability and helps track the effectiveness of your solutions.

6 Share Learnings

The final step in a post-mortem analysis is to share your findings and learnings with the wider organization. This can be done through formal reports, presentations, or workshops. The goal is to ensure that the knowledge gained from the failed project is disseminated throughout the company, preventing similar issues from occurring on other projects. By sharing these lessons, you contribute to a culture of continuous improvement and resilience within your organization.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?