After Action Review (AAR)
An after action review (AAR) is a discussion of a project or an activity. It enables the individuals involved to learn for themselves what happens, why it happened, what went well, what needs improvement and what lessons can be learned from the experience. The spirit of an AAR is one of openness and learning – it is not about problem fixing or allocating blame. Lessons learned may be tacitly shared on the spot by the individuals involved or explicitly documented and shared with a wider audience.
The size of an AAR may reach from two individuals conducting a five minute AAR at the end of a short meeting to a day-long AAR held by a project team at the end of a large project. Activities suitable for an AAR simply need to have a beginning and an end, an identifiable purpose and some basis on which performance can be assessed. A suitable moment for an AAR is the end of a project and each identifiable event within a project.
Steps in an AAR
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Invite the right people - appoint a facilitator - create the right climate.
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What was supposed to happen? Revisit the objectives and deliverables of the project.
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What actually happened? What went well? Why? What could have gone better? Share learning advice for the future.
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Ensure that everyone feels fully heard before leaving the meeting.
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Record and share important lessons learnt.
Further information ...
