Planning a Blog Post Template for Client Project Post-Mortems
Why Post-Mortems Need Their Own Template
Every consultancy says it learns from its projects, but without a fixed structure those lessons drift into vague anecdotes. At Design Logix we deliver client work across branding, web builds and campaign design, and each project ends with a retrospective. A blog post template turns those private reflections into a repeatable publishing routine.
The goal is not to celebrate wins. The goal is to document what actually happened, what we would change, and what another team could borrow. Honesty is the product, and anonymisation is the protection that makes honesty possible.
Set the Ground Rules Before Writing
Agree on anonymity, consent and scope before a single sentence is drafted. Client names, staff names and commercially sensitive figures stay out. Describe the sector and the shape of the problem instead.
A short internal checklist keeps the series consistent:
- Confirm the client is comfortable with an anonymised write-up.
- Remove identifying details such as locations, dates and unique product names.
- Attribute mistakes to process, not to individuals.
- Get a second pair of eyes to review for accidental disclosure.
Once these rules are fixed, the template can focus on narrative rather than negotiation.
The Six-Part Structure
Each post-mortem follows the same skeleton so readers can compare one project with another. The structure also forces us to cover uncomfortable ground instead of skipping to the highlights.
- Context: the brief, constraints and timeline in neutral terms.
- Approach: the methods and tools we chose, and why.
- What worked: specific decisions that created value.
- What went wrong: delays, misreads and rework, described plainly.
- Numbers: effort, iterations and delivery time, rounded or indexed.
- Takeaways: the changes we now apply by default.
Keeping the order fixed makes drafting faster and stops the retrospective from turning into a press release.
Use a Comparison Table for the Facts
Tables give readers a quick snapshot without exposing client data. Round every figure and label it as an estimate where appropriate.
| Metric | Planned | Actual | Lesson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discovery workshops | 2 | 3 | Add a stakeholder mapping session |
| Design iterations | 3 | 5 | Test prototypes earlier |
| Handover window | 1 week | 2 weeks | Schedule developer review sooner |
A table also prevents the temptation to exaggerate success, because the planned and actual columns sit side by side.
Voice, Quotes and Closing Notes
Write in plain English and avoid blame. A short quotation from the internal debrief can carry more weight than a paragraph of summary.
"The brief was clear; our assumption about who signed off the visuals was not."
End every post with three actionable takeaways and an invitation for readers to share their own process. Over time this template builds a public archive of honest practice, which is far more useful to prospective clients than a portfolio of polished case studies.
