# How to Use the Pre-Mortem Command for Risk Analysis in pm-skills > Master pre-mortem command for risk analysis in pm-skills. Identify potential launch failures with this Markdown tool to categorize risks and generate mitigation reports. Improve your project planning. - Repository: [Pawel Huryn/pm-skills](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills) - Tags: how-to-guide - Published: 2026-07-01 --- **The `/pre-mortem` command is a Markdown-based tool in the pm-skills repository that analyzes product requirements documents to identify potential launch failures, categorizing risks as Tigers, Paper Tigers, or Elephants before generating a structured mitigation report.** The **pre-mortem command** is a thin wrapper within the **pm-execution** plugin of the *pm-skills* repository. It enables product teams to simulate project failure scenarios before launch by feeding PRDs, launch plans, or feature descriptions into a specialized AI skill. This command requires no custom code; it operates entirely through Markdown specifications that the **pm-toolkit** runtime parses and executes. ## How the Pre-Mortem Command Works The command implements a three-phase workflow defined in pure Markdown files. ### Command Dispatch When you invoke `/pre-mortem`, the runtime parses [`pm-execution/commands/pre-mortem.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-execution/commands/pre-mortem.md). This file's header block defines the expected input format—specifically a free-form argument representing your PRD, plan, or feature description. The framework captures this input and prepares it for the skill execution phase. ### Skill Loading The command acts as a thin wrapper that locates the corresponding skill definition. Upon invocation, the runtime searches for a skill matching the command name and loads [`pm-execution/skills/pre-mortem/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-execution/skills/pre-mortem/SKILL.md). This file contains the **Instructions** section that drives the AI analysis behavior. ### Execution and Output Inside the skill file, the AI receives explicit instructions to imagine the launch has already failed. It enumerates potential risks and classifies them into three categories: **Tigers** (real risks), **Paper Tigers** (overblown concerns), and **Elephants** (unspoken issues). The system ranks Tigers by urgency into **launch-blocking**, **fast-follow**, or **track** priorities. The skill formats the output as a Markdown report using the template defined in the skill file, injecting the user-provided content into the `$ARGUMENTS` placeholder. The command optionally offers next steps such as updating the PRD, creating test scenarios, or drafting a launch checklist. ## Running a Pre-Mortem Analysis Invoke the command with either direct text or file uploads to analyze your product artifacts. ### Basic Text Input Pass your feature description or project summary directly as an argument: ```markdown /pre-mortem We're launching a self-serve billing portal next month ``` The toolkit passes this text to the pre-mortem skill, which returns a structured risk report including mitigation strategies, ownership assignments, and deadlines. ### Document Upload For detailed analysis of existing documents, reference a PRD file directly: ```markdown /pre-mortem ``` The pm-toolkit's file-ingestion layer extracts relevant sections from the PDF and processes them through the same risk-classification pipeline. ## Understanding the Output Structure The pre-mortem skill organizes findings into a standardized Markdown report with specific risk classifications and actionable items. ### Risk Categories The analysis identifies three distinct risk types: - **Tigers**: Real risks that threaten launch success. These are further prioritized by urgency: - Launch-blocking: Critical issues requiring immediate resolution - Fast-follow: Important concerns needing post-launch attention - Track: Known risks requiring monitoring - **Paper Tigers**: Overblown concerns that appear significant but lack actual impact based on available data. - **Elephants**: Unspoken issues or organizational blind spots that teams avoid discussing but could derail the project. ### Report Components The generated report includes a **Go/No-Go Checklist** validating that all launch-blocking Tigers have mitigation plans, a **Risk Registry** with owners and deadlines, and **Follow-up Actions** for updating the PRD or creating test scenarios. ## Key Source Files The command behavior is defined in two primary Markdown files: - **[`pm-execution/commands/pre-mortem.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-execution/commands/pre-mortem.md)**: Defines the command syntax, argument expectations (expecting ``), and workflow outline. - **[`pm-execution/skills/pre-mortem/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-execution/skills/pre-mortem/SKILL.md)**: Contains the complete skill specification including step-by-step instructions, risk categorization logic, and the output template that formats the `$ARGUMENTS` placeholder. These pure-Markdown specifications require no compilation; editing them immediately changes command behavior when processed by the pm-toolkit runtime. ## Summary - The `/pre-mortem` command is a **Markdown-driven risk analysis tool** in the pm-skills repository that requires no custom code implementation. - It processes PRDs and feature descriptions through the skill defined in [`pm-execution/skills/pre-mortem/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-execution/skills/pre-mortem/SKILL.md). - Risks are classified as **Tigers** (real), **Paper Tigers** (overblown), or **Elephants** (unspoken), with Tigers ranked by urgency into launch-blocking, fast-follow, or track categories. - Input can be direct text or uploaded files via the toolkit's ingestion layer. - Output generates a structured Markdown report with mitigation owners, deadlines, and a Go/No-Go checklist. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How do I install the pre-mortem command? The command ships as part of the **pm-execution** plugin in the *pm-skills* repository. Since it consists of Markdown specifications rather than compiled code, installation involves cloning the repository and ensuring the pm-toolkit runtime can access the `pm-execution/commands/` and `pm-execution/skills/` directories. ### Can I modify the risk categories in the pre-mortem analysis? Yes. Because the classification logic lives in [`pm-execution/skills/pre-mortem/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-execution/skills/pre-mortem/SKILL.md), you can edit the **Instructions** section to add, remove, or redefine risk categories. The pm-toolkit runtime will use your updated definitions on the next command invocation without requiring redeployment or compilation. ### What file types does the pre-mortem command accept? The command accepts free-form text arguments and file uploads. Through the pm-toolkit's file-ingestion layer, it can process PDFs and other supported document formats, extracting relevant sections automatically before running the risk analysis against the skill's instruction set. ### Where is the output format defined? The report structure—including the tables for Tigers, Paper Tigers, and Elephants—is defined in the **Generate Pre-Mortem Report** section of [`pm-execution/skills/pre-mortem/SKILL.md`](https://github.com/phuryn/pm-skills/blob/main/pm-execution/skills/pre-mortem/SKILL.md). You can customize the column headers, add new fields like "contingency budget," or modify the Go/No-Go checklist by editing this Markdown file.