The primary goal of post-incident review (PIR) is continuous improvement. After an incident has been contained, eradicated, and systems recovered, a formal review helps identify:

What went wrong or could have been done better

What controls failed or were missing

How the response process can be improved

The goal is not only to learn from the incident but also to enhance incident response capabilities, update plans, and prevent future occurrences.

“Post-incident reviews are a key activity for improving incident response processes. The goal is continuous improvement and prevention of repeat incidents.”

— CISM Review Manual 15th Edition, Chapter 4: Incident Management, Section: Post-Incident Activities*

While incident documentation and evidence collection are components of the process, they are supportive to the broader strategic objective: learning and improving the overall security posture.