Who is typically the facilitator in a postmortem meeting?

In a postmortem meeting, the facilitator plays a crucial role in guiding the discussion, ensuring all voices are heard, and keeping the meeting focused on learning and improvement rather than placing blame. The ideal choice for this role is someone who is neutral and separate from the incident, which allows the conversation to flow freely and constructively.

Choosing a person who actively participated in the incident or was directly involved may introduce bias or defensiveness, which can hinder a transparent discussion aimed at identifying root causes and preventing future occurrences.

The postmortem owner is typically responsible for leading the follow-up actions and ensuring that any lessons learned are documented and acted upon, but that does not necessarily mean they should facilitate the discussion in the meeting itself. Instead, having an independent facilitator creates a safe space for all participants to contribute openly.

Therefore, the most suitable facilitator for a postmortem meeting is someone who is not directly involved in the incident, making "none of the above" the correct answer in this context.