post-mortem

Generate a canonical engineering post-mortem record for a fixed bug.

1|Updated May 24, 2026

Search Tags:#debugging #root cause analysis #validation #post-mortem #engineering documentation #incident hygiene

Ready to run

npx skills add https://github.com/tinner-deinno/innova-skills-lib --skill post-mortem-tinner-deinno

💬 Prompt for ChatGPT / Claude Chat▼

Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: post-mortem
Source: https://github.com/tinner-deinno/innova-skills-lib/tree/main/core/post-mortem
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/tinner-deinno/innova-skills-lib --skill post-mortem-tinner-deinno

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve?

Prevents fixed-bug knowledge from being lost by turning a successful debug + validation session into a canonical, engineer-audience record with root cause, mechanism, fix, and proof.

Core Features & Use Cases

Root-cause-first documentation: Forces a complete “Summary → Root cause → Why it caused the symptom → Fix → Validation” structure so the next engineer can recover the mental model quickly.
Guardrails against premature writeups: Refuses to draft when repro, root cause, fix, or validation are missing, avoiding misleading “hypothesis” post-mortems.
Actionable follow-ups: Includes concrete regression/CI/doc/runbook next steps and explicitly separates management handoff to a different skill.

Quick Start

Invoke post-mortem after you have a fixed and validated bug by asking: write the post-mortem / postmortem for this ticket with the repro, root cause, fix link, and validation evidence.

Frequently Asked Questions about post-mortem

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema

How do I write a bug post-mortem for engineering handoff after a fix?▼

A bug post-mortem documents the root cause, fix, validation, and how the issue slipped through. You must confirm a reliable repro exists, the root cause is known, the fix is identified, and the fix is validated before drafting the record.

What is root cause analysis documentation for a fixed incident?▼

Root cause analysis documentation explains why a fixed bug caused its symptom and how the mechanism was addressed. It creates a canonical engineering record so the next engineer can quickly recover the mental model and accelerate future debugging.

What should I include in a post-mortem document for ticket closeout?▼

A post-mortem for ticket closeout should include a Summary, Root Cause, Why it caused the symptom, Fix, and Validation. It also requires actionable follow-ups like concrete regression tests, CI updates, documentation, or runbook modifications.

Can I generate an incident post-mortem if the bug fix is not yet validated?▼

You cannot generate an incident post-mortem if the fix is not validated. The process refuses to draft when reliable repro, root cause, fix, or validation are missing to avoid creating misleading hypothesis-based engineering documentation.

When do I need to wait before writing engineering documentation for a resolved bug?▼

You need to wait until debugging lands a real fix and validation evidence is confirmed. Generating engineering documentation before knowing the root cause or having a reliable repro results in incomplete post-mortems that lack actionable regression steps.

Is a management handoff included in a root cause analysis record for a fixed bug?▼

Management handoff is not included in a root cause analysis record. This documentation explicitly separates management handoff to a different skill and focuses entirely on producing a structured technical draft for engineer-audience consumption.