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The true meaning of AAR (After Action Review) >>>

Wednesday, September 05, 2018
9:37 PM

What is an AAR?

"The After Action Review (AAR) is a structured review or de-brief process for analyzing what happened, why it happened, and how it can be done better, by the participants and those responsible for the project or event... ...Their use has extended to business as a knowledge management tool and a way to build a culture of accountability." - Wikipedia

Key Points: Structured Review (not REVUE), ANALyzing what happened, WHY it happened, and HOW IT CAN BE DONE BETTER, BY the participants and those responsible, BUILD a culture of accountability.

Different people have different styles of doing AARs. No doubt about that. However the bottomline = IMPROVEMENT.

I don't think there is a point of an AAR is nothing is learnt from it or if everybody is adulated regardless of their performance. The latter would be called "Self-praisal" (NoT appraisal). This would make us look like the "i" organization. A good de-briefer would not make AARs seem like personal attacks. They are NOT meant to be personal attacks in the first place! We need to learn who did what right/wrong. And, how we can IMPROVE. Most comments and statements made (today) were very objective and directed at NOBODY in particular. We are in this as a team, therefore, comments would be directed at the team as a whole, not individuals. No doubt, there are exceptions where certain individuals have to be singled out due to the different role that they play but the bottomline is that EVERYBODY learns from SOMEBODY's mistake and that person should (and must) therefore, well, learn from his mistake too.

As I mentioned before, different people conduct AARs differently. Its just a different style, no right or wrong. Some people tend to be more emotional when briefing. I tend to be more technical (and somewhat emotionless). I tend to have a de-briefing and an AAR conducted separately. For me, the debriefing is the part whereby blasting is done, expletives are squirted at various individuals. The AAR is the part which is more technical, where events are replayed and analyzed.

I am a technical person by nature. AARs that I conduct are in a very "neutral" mood, where everyone is calm, rather than sad or anything. I recall previously doing a very detailed AAR, where we sat down reviewing photos and videos of the whole event and though were were deciding on the beamwidth of the line array for future performances, our AAR shifted its focus to "Where should the pencilcase be put? Near the lights mixer or sound?" and this debated lasted 20 minutes. But although we were looking at seemingly trivial stuff, this (2 hour) AAR was very detailed, and the AAR on its own can be sort of an "instruction manual" for performances.

Once again, to reiterate: THE BOTTOMLINE=SOME FORM OF CRITICISM TO IMPROVE FOR FURTHER events.

Why some people get so emotionally affected by AARs? I think they're fun. I particularly hate AARs full of adulation and glorification. Yes, you feel good. But so what? What gets done? I remember a church AAR for a particular event. All that was said was "well done". Well done this... Well done that... Yes, we know what we did right and yes we must learn and remember what we did right. But there was no mention on HOW to improve what was already right, and no mention of what went wrong, coz IMO, it was a total screwup.

One more thing. AARs have to be impactful. It doesnt help if everyone is tired and sleepy. Neither does it help if everyone starts to break down and cry when a little scolding is done (IMO, today's wasnt really considered a tough scolding). Notes need to be taken and points need to be generated. This must be consolidated for future use. Recall "BUILD a culture of accountability."

Anyway, to conclude, AARs are to be taken in our stride. No point feeling sad or over it or anything. Just MOVE ON!

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