Post-Mortem Analysis Report

Prompt

Write a thorough post-mortem analysis report for [INCIDENT OR PROJECT NAME] at [COMPANY NAME].

Incident details:
- What happened: [DESCRIPTION]
- Date/time of incident: [DATE AND TIME]
- Duration: [HOW LONG]
- Impact: [WHO AND WHAT WAS AFFECTED]
- Detection method: [HOW WAS IT DISCOVERED]
- Resolution method: [HOW WAS IT FIXED]
- Participants in the response: [TEAMS OR INDIVIDUALS]

Structure the report as follows:

1. **Executive Summary** — 3 sentences maximum. What happened, impact, and status.

2. **Timeline** — Chronological sequence of events from first detection to full resolution.

3. **Root Cause Analysis** — Use the 5-Whys technique. Identify contributing factors vs. root cause.

4. **Impact Assessment** — Quantify the impact: users affected, revenue impact, SLA breach, reputational risk.

5. **What Went Well** — Be honest. What did the team do right during the response?

6. **What Needs Improvement** — Specific, actionable gaps identified.

7. **Action Items** — Each item must have: owner, due date, and success criterion. No vague actions.

8. **Prevention Plan** — Systemic changes to prevent recurrence.

Tone: blameless. Focus on systems and processes, not individuals.