1. Introduction

1.1 Goal of the tutorial

This tutorial aims to guide you through the process of performing post-mortem reviews and improvements after an incident in the context of software development and web application management.

1.2 Learning outcomes

By the end of this tutorial, you will be able to:

• Understand the importance and benefits of post-mortem reviews
• Conduct an effective post-mortem review
• Identify areas of improvements and implement changes based on the review

1.3 Prerequisites

No specific prerequisites are required for this tutorial. However, having some knowledge about project management and basic understanding of software development lifecycle can be beneficial.

2. Step-by-Step Guide

2.1 Understanding Post-Mortem Reviews

A post-mortem review, also known as a post-incident review, is a process to evaluate and learn from incidents or events that did not go as planned. The main goal is to identify what happened, why it happened, and how to prevent it from happening again.

2.2 Conducting a Post-Mortem Review

2.2.1 Gathering Data

The first step in conducting a post-mortem review is to gather all relevant data about the incident. This could include logs, user reports, server metrics, etc.

2.2.2 Analyzing the Incident

Once the data is gathered, the next step is to analyze the incident. Identify what caused the issue, how it was resolved, and what could have been done to prevent it.

2.2.3 Documenting the Findings

After analyzing the incident, document the findings. This should include a timeline of events, root causes, and any preventative measures that could be taken in the future.

2.3 Implementing Improvements

Based on the findings from the post-mortem review, identify improvements that can be made. This could involve changing procedures, updating documentation, or modifying code.

3. Code Examples

While no specific code is required for conducting a post-mortem review, you could use various tools to help with the process. For example, you could use SQL to extract logs from a database or use a project management tool to track improvements.

4. Summary

In this tutorial, we covered the process of conducting a post-mortem review. We learned about the importance of gathering and analyzing data, documenting the findings, and implementing improvements based on these findings. The main goal of a post-mortem review is to learn from incidents and prevent them from happening again in the future.

To further your learning, you could look into specific project management methodologies that include post-mortem reviews, such as Agile or Scrum.

5. Practice Exercises

Here are a few exercises you could do to practice:

1. Scenario Review: Consider a scenario where a server went down due to high traffic. Conduct a post-mortem review for this incident.

2. Improvement Plan: Based on the findings from the first exercise, create an improvement plan.

Remember, the key to a successful post-mortem review is open communication and a focus on improvement, rather than blame.