Lessons learned template after tough transitions

Overview

Bad handoffs teach more than perfect ones—blameless post-mortem improves next client experience.

Sections

• Timeline facts
• What went well
• Pain points (missing creds, registrar fights, emotional sponsor flip)
• Root causes not who to blame
• Action items with owner + date (template update, sales clause, legal escrow text)

Participation

Account manager + lead engineer + optional exec sponsor listen-only—psych safety for IC truth.

Sensitivity

HR flagged personnel issues summarized generically in restricted addendum—not in widely shared Confluence page.

Metrics

Compare MTTR first 90 days vs benchmark; survey NPS if sampled.

Close loop

Next quarter verify action items actually merged into onboarding playbook—otherwise ritual is theater.

Celebrate

Small team props for unsung firefighting—retention matters in tight hiring markets.