review · Retrospective, Feedback, Problem Solving · 15–60 min · 3-15 people · medium energy

After Action Review (AAR)

The After Action Review is a structured team reflection on a project, event, or task to identify what happened, why, and how to improve future performance. It fosters organizational learning by turning tacit knowledge into explicit action plans.

When to use After Action Review (AAR)

Use this method after completing a significant project, event, or sprint to identify lessons learned and actionable improvements for future endeavors. It's especially useful when you need to quickly capture insights and prevent repeating mistakes.

What it solves

Teams not learning from past experiences, repeating mistakes, lack of continuous improvement, fear of discussing failures.

How to run After Action Review (AAR), step by step

  1. **Set the Stage (5 mins):** Explain the purpose of the AAR and emphasize a blameless environment focused on learning.
  2. **What Happened? (10 mins):** Ask 'What was supposed to happen?', 'What actually happened?', and 'What were the differences?' Document the responses.
  3. **What Worked/Didn't Work? (20 mins):** Explore 'What worked well and why?' and 'What didn't work well and why?' Dig into the root causes.
  4. **Next Time? (15 mins):** Ask 'What would you do differently next time?' Focus on specific, actionable recommendations.
  5. **Summarize and Close (10 mins):** Review the key takeaways and action items. Assign owners and deadlines.

Materials needed

  • Flip chart or whiteboard
  • Markers
  • Timer
  • Sticky notes (optional)

Facilitator tips

  • Encourage open and honest communication.
  • Focus on facts and avoid personal attacks.
  • Keep the discussion focused on learning and improvement.
  • Ensure action items are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).

Common pitfalls

  • Participants being defensive or blaming others.
  • Surface-level discussions without digging into root causes.
  • Action items that are vague or not actionable.
  • Lack of follow-through on action items.

Variations

  • Retrospect: Uses more detailed questions to explore the project in depth.
  • Quick AAR: A shorter, more informal version for smaller tasks.

Running it online or hybrid

Use a shared document or whiteboard tool to capture responses to the questions. Ensure everyone has a chance to speak in virtual settings.

What it produces

A list of actionable recommendations for future projects or tasks, documented lessons learned, and a shared understanding of what worked and what didn't.

Origin

Adapted from BetterEvaluation — source

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