Term

Premortem

An investigation before the work begins: you imagine the project has already failed and look for what went wrong, so you can prevent it in advance.

Think Like a Rocket Scientist: The Workbook, Ozan Varol

Explained in

• Think Like a Rocket Scientist: The Workbook, Ozan Varol
• Thinking in Bets: Making Smarter Decisions When You Don't Have All the Facts, Annie Duke

  A planning technique: imagine in advance that the goal has failed, and list the reasons why. Duke offers it as a way to see the risks before you start.

• The Power of Intuition, Gary Klein

  Klein’s technique: a team imagines a project has already failed, and each person writes down possible reasons. It helps reveal weaknesses in a plan beforehand.

• Decisive: How to Make Better Choices in Life and Work, Chip Heath, Dan Heath

  A technique from the psychologist Gary Klein: imagine in advance that a decision has failed and try to explain why. It helps you see possible risks.

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