An after-action review (AAR) is a structured, reflective process used by teams to analyze what happened, why it happened, and how future actions can be improved. Originally developed by the U.S. military, the AAR has since been widely adopted in various sectors, including development, humanitarian aid, healthcare, education, and business, to improve performance and learn from experience.
The goal of an AAR is not to assign blame but to foster open discussion, shared learning, and continuous improvement. It typically takes place immediately after a project, event, or activity, especially one that is complex, fast-moving, or has unexpected outcomes.
Key Questions in an AAR #
An effective AAR is guided by four core questions:
- What was expected to happen?
- What actually happened?
- Why were there differences?
- What can we learn from this?
Key Features of an AAR: #
- Participatory: AAR involves everyone who participated in the activity.
- Timely: It is conducted soon after the event to capture fresh insights.
- Constructive: It focuses on learning and improvement, not criticism.
Benefits of AAR: #
- It encourages continuous learning.
- It improves team communication.
- It enhances decision-making and planning.
- It builds accountability and trust.
Limitations of AAR: #
- AAR requires a safe and honest environment.
- It may be less effective if not facilitated well.
- It needs commitment to apply lessons learned.
In essence, the After Action Review is a powerful yet simple tool that promotes a culture of reflection and learning, helping teams adapt and perform better over time.
List of recommended resources #
For a broad overview #
After-Action Reviews: A Simple Yet Powerful Tool
This article by The Wharton School, The University of Pennsylvania gives an overview of after action reviews, as well as their own customized Nano tool for conducting an after action review.
WHO After Action Reviews (AAR)
This video tutorial by WHO gives an introduction to after action review and explains the AAR practice, as promoted and practiced by WHO. The video includes the definition of AAR, its different methodologies and resources available.
For in-depth understanding #
This toolkit by UNICEF provides an in-depth explanation of after action reviews (AARs), when and why to use an AAR, and how to apply AAR to a group/project. The toolkit also provides some tips for a successful AAR along with references for further study.
What are after action reviews (AARs)?
This article by Asana gives a detailed explanation of after-action reviews, the 4 components of an AAR, its example, and benefits, as well as a template for easy use by the researcher.
Case study #
This study by Rianna Mohammed-Roberts, Oluwayemisi Busola Ajumobi, and Armando Guzman analyzes responses to past natural disasters in four countries in South Asia – Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, and Pakistan. One of the solutions found is to prioritize and institutionalize after action reviews as a means of ensuring that corrective actions from past public health events are properly considered.
World Bank-Financed HIV Projects in the Caribbean: Lessons for Working with Small States
This study by Willy De Geyndt, Carmen Carpio, and Shiyan Chao summarizes the key findings of an ‘After Action Review’ (AAR) that reflects a decade of experience in designing and implementing ten HIV/AIDS projects in the Caribbean, financed by the World Bank.
References #
The Power of After-Action Reviews (AARs) in Organizational Success
