Postmortems
If you're searching for our updated content, please refer to our new page titled Retrospectives
In many fields, the word 'postmortem' connotes death. While this isn't the context in engineering, we've traditionally used 'postmortem' to describe the analysis following unexpected downtimes. Originating from medical terminology, it signifies an examination after death.
In the tech realm, this term has been used to address the aftermath of incidents. We analyze logs, metrics, and chats to produce a report that sheds light on the incident's causes. However, given that no life is lost in these scenarios, the term may not be the most fitting.
It's crucial to reevaluate our language to better reflect our understanding of incidents. While they can be challenging, incidents also present learning and growth opportunities. We encourage the adoption of the term 'Retrospective' in place of 'postmortem' for a more accurate representation.
"We've updated the wording to 'retrospective'. However, please note that this won't automatically update for existing users due to its integration with a specific workflow.
To see this change, you will to reapply the retrospective (formerly postmortem) template.