# How to Conduct a Pre-Mortem Risk Analysis Using the `/pre-mortem` Command > Learn how to conduct a pre-mortem risk analysis. Use the /pre-mortem command to assess threats, categorize risks, and generate mitigation reports for your projects. - Repository: [Pawel Huryn/pm-skills](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills) - Tags: how-to-guide - Published: 2026-06-16 --- **The `/pre-mortem` command runs a structured imagination-based risk assessment on product requirements documents or launch plans, categorizing threats into Tigers, Paper Tigers, and Elephants before generating a prioritized mitigation report.** The **phuryn/pm-skills** repository provides a comprehensive project management toolkit that includes a built-in **pre-mortem risk analysis** workflow. This command helps product teams identify potential failure points before launch by analyzing PRDs, feature specs, or free-form descriptions through a systematic risk-identification framework defined in [`pm-execution/commands/pre-mortem.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-execution/commands/pre-mortem.md) and [`pm-execution/skills/pre-mortem/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-execution/skills/pre-mortem/SKILL.md). ## What Is the `/pre-mortem` Command? The `/pre-mortem` command is a **slash command** that triggers a specialized skill for proactive risk management. Unlike post-mortems that analyze failures after they occur, this command asks the model to imagine the launch has already failed and work backward to identify why. The command definition lives in [`pm-execution/commands/pre-mortem.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-execution/commands/pre-mortem.md), while the execution logic resides in [`pm-execution/skills/pre-mortem/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-execution/skills/pre-mortem/SKILL.md). ## How to Invoke the Command You can trigger the pre-mortem analysis using two primary input methods. ### Basic Text Input Pass a free-form description of your product, feature, or launch directly after the command: ```text /pre-mortem We're launching a self-serve billing portal next month ``` ### Uploading a PRD File Attach a product requirements document or specification file for deeper analysis: ```text /pre-mortem (attach file) product-requirements.md ``` The skill accepts any format, but richer inputs yield sharper risk identification according to the command documentation. ## The Pre-Mortem Workflow Once invoked, the command executes a six-step workflow orchestrated by the pre-mortem skill. ### Accept the Plan The skill ingests your input—whether a formal PRD, launch plan, or verbal description. The system may supplement this with web searches for additional context, treating the request as a structured risk-identification exercise as defined in the skill header (`name: pre-mortem`). ### Risk Identification The model imagines the launch has catastrophically failed, then enumerates risks across five categories: - **Technical** - Engineering constraints, scalability issues, technical debt - **User** - Adoption barriers, UX confusion, accessibility gaps - **Business** - Market fit, revenue impact, competitive threats - **Operational** - Support burden, training needs, process gaps - **Dependency** - Third-party integrations, vendor reliability, cross-team blockers ### Classify Risks Each identified risk receives a classification label defined in [`pm-execution/skills/pre-mortem/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-execution/skills/pre-mortem/SKILL.md) (lines 27-43): - **Tiger** - A real, credible threat that could derail the launch - **Paper Tiger** - An overblown concern that appears dangerous but lacks actual impact - **Elephant** - A hidden or unspoken worry that nobody wants to address but everyone senses ### Prioritize Tigers Tigers undergo secondary triage into urgency-based tiers (lines 44-53 of the skill file): - **Launch-Blocking** - Must resolve before release; critical path items - **Fast-Follow** - High priority but can be addressed immediately post-launch - **Track** - Monitor without immediate action; maintain on risk register ### Generate the Report The skill composes a markdown report using the template from [`pm-execution/commands/pre-mortem.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-execution/commands/pre-mortem.md) (lines 54-88). The output includes categorized risk tables, a Go/No-Go checklist, and mitigation tracking columns. ### Save Output The system suggests saving the final analysis as `PreMortem--.md` for version control and team distribution. ## Understanding the Risk Classification System The three-tier classification system provides immediate visual prioritization: **Tigers** represent genuine threats requiring active mitigation. These receive detailed analysis including likelihood ratings, impact assessments, assigned owners, and deadlines. **Paper Tigers** capture concerns that consume mental energy without posing real danger. Documenting these prevents wasted resources on low-probability edge cases. **Elephants** surface the "unknown knowns"—organizational anxieties or political landmines that typically remain unspoken during standard planning sessions. ## Output Structure and Report Format The generated markdown report follows a standardized structure defined in the command template: ```markdown ## Pre-Mortem: Mobile Onboarding Flow **Date**: 2026-06-16 **Status**: Draft ### Risk Summary - **Tigers**: 5 (launch-blocking: 2, fast-follow: 2, track: 1) - **Paper Tigers**: 3 - **Elephants**: 2 ### Launch-Blocking Tigers | # | Risk | Likelihood | Impact | Mitigation | Owner | Deadline | |---|--------------------------|------------|--------|---------------------------|---------|----------| | 1 | Crash on iOS 14 | High | High | Add backward-compat shim | EngLead | 2026-06-20 | ``` The report continues with sections for **Fast-Follow Tigers**, **Track Tigers**, **Paper Tigers**, **Elephants**, and a **Go/No-Go Checklist** for launch readiness. ## Next Steps and Follow-Up Actions After generating the report, the system can propose concrete follow-up actions (lines 92-96 of the command file): - **Update the PRD** with risk mitigations and contingency plans - **Create test scenarios** targeting the riskiest technical areas - **Draft a launch checklist** incorporating Tiger mitigation verification - **Schedule stakeholder reviews** for Launch-Blocking items These prompts transform the analysis from documentation into actionable project management artifacts. ## Summary - The `/pre-mortem` command in **phuryn/pm-skills** triggers a structured risk analysis by imagining launch failure and working backward - Input can be free-form text or uploaded PRD files processed by [`pm-execution/skills/pre-mortem/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-execution/skills/pre-mortem/SKILL.md) - Risks classify into **Tigers** (real threats), **Paper Tigers** (false alarms), and **Elephants** (unspoken issues) - Tigers prioritize into **Launch-Blocking**, **Fast-Follow**, and **Track** tiers - Output generates as a markdown report with standardized tables, risk summaries, and Go/No-Go checklists saved as `PreMortem--.md` ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What input formats does the `/pre-mortem` command accept? The command accepts any format including formal PRDs, launch plans, feature specifications, or simple text descriptions. According to [`pm-execution/skills/pre-mortem/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-execution/skills/pre-mortem/SKILL.md), the skill reads the input as "Gather the PRD" and can supplement sparse descriptions with web searches for context. ### What is the difference between a Tiger, Paper Tiger, and Elephant risk? **Tigers** are credible threats requiring mitigation, **Paper Tigers** are overblown concerns that appear dangerous but lack actual impact, and **Elephants** represent hidden organizational worries that remain unspoken during normal planning. These classifications appear in lines 27-43 of the skill implementation file. ### How does the command prioritize which risks to address first? The system splits Tigers into three urgency tiers: **Launch-Blocking** (resolve before release), **Fast-Follow** (address immediately post-launch), and **Track** (monitor without immediate action). This prioritization logic is defined in the "Classify Tigers by Urgency" section of [`pm-execution/skills/pre-mortem/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-execution/skills/pre-mortem/SKILL.md) (lines 44-53). ### Can I customize the pre-mortem report template? The report structure follows the template defined in [`pm-execution/commands/pre-mortem.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-execution/commands/pre-mortem.md) (lines 54-88), which includes standardized tables for risk categories and Go/No-Go checklists. While the core structure is fixed, the content—including risk categories, mitigation strategies, and follow-up prompts—adapts dynamically based on your specific product input.