Failure Headlines: Brainstorming Catastrophes

What participants gain

• Expand creative thinking and generate a wide range of potential failure scenarios.
• Identify potential risks and vulnerabilities associated with the product launch.
• Develop a shared understanding of the challenges that need to be addressed.
• Foster a culture of open communication and proactive risk management.

Materials needed

• Whiteboard or flip chart
• Markers
• Sticky notes
• Timer
• Examples of past product launch failures

How to run Failure Headlines: Brainstorming Catastrophes, step by step

1. Introduce the activity and its purpose (5 min).
2. Explain the concept of a pre-mortem and its benefits.
3. Provide examples of past product launch failures.
4. Instruct participants to brainstorm potential failure scenarios for the product launch, framing them as sensational news headlines.
5. Give participants 15 minutes to individually brainstorm headlines.
6. Facilitate a group discussion where participants share their headlines (10 min).
7. Capture all headlines on a whiteboard or flip chart.
8. Summarize the key themes and patterns that emerge from the brainstorming session (5 min).

Facilitator tips

• Encourage participants to think outside the box and consider even unlikely scenarios.
• Emphasize that there are no bad ideas during the brainstorming phase.
• Capture all ideas on a whiteboard or flip chart for everyone to see.
• Use humor and playful language to create a more relaxed and creative atmosphere.
• Summarize the key themes and patterns that emerge from the brainstorming session.

Common challenges

• Participants struggle to come up with creative failure scenarios. - Provide examples of past product launch failures and encourage them to think about what could go wrong in this specific case.
• Participants focus on blaming individuals rather than identifying systemic issues. - Redirect the discussion towards identifying root causes and process improvements.
• The brainstorming session becomes too negative and demoralizing. - Remind participants of past successes and emphasize the importance of a balanced perspective.
• Participants dominate the discussion. - Use a talking stick or other method to ensure equal participation.

Running it virtually

Use a virtual whiteboard like Miro or Mural to create a shared space for brainstorming headlines. Use breakout rooms to facilitate smaller group discussions.

Expected results

Participants will generate a comprehensive list of potential failure scenarios for the product launch. They will develop a shared understanding of the risks and vulnerabilities that need to be addressed.

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