The project is done. All the negotiating is over with, every problem has been solved, all your hard work has paid off, everyone is happy and the bill’s been paid – now what? You’re probably itching to get started on the next big thing, but before you to do, the last thing on every project to-do list should be the project post mortem.

Post mortems can be messy affairs – blood and guts all over the table – but they are crucial for improving efficiency and accurately recognising your strengths and weaknesses (and those of everyone else on the team).

How to conduct a project post mortem

What went wrong?

Every project has its hiccups and while it’s easy to gloss over every hurdle once you’ve reached the end-goal, it’s much more effective to take stock of the speed bumps. What can you learn for next time? How can you avoid facing the same issues?

What went right?

Just as important as recognising your weaknesses is celebrating your strengths. Take an honest look at what went right – and WHY it went right. Who were the best team players and what did they bring to the team that was so great? Even with a project post mortem – there’s always room for some self congratulatory backslapping (just make it quick)!

Update your portfolio

Display your creative assets! With every project – no matter how painful – there will be something you can add to your portfolio to show off your skills to the world.

Do the paperwork

Ugh, boring we know! But this part is easy (promise)!  Go through your artwork and find any ideas that weren’t used in the final product that might be recycled for future projects and file them somewhere handy. Make notes about the project so that you can refer to them if the client comes back later. Think of it as a style guide – we know from experience that your future self will thank you for it!