AAR (After Action Review) - LSS Glossary

After Action Review (AAR) is a process used to evaluate the effectiveness of an action or activity. The process aims to identify what worked well, what could be improved, and what lessons can be learned for future actions or activities. AARs are commonly used in military, business, and sports contexts to improve performance and identify areas for improvement.

Key Elements of AAR (After Action Review)

AAR typically include the following key elements:

Objectives: Clearly defining the objectives of the action or activity being evaluated.
Performance: Assessing the performance of the action or activity against the objectives.
Lessons learned: Identifying the lessons that can be learned from the action or activity.
Recommendations: Developing recommendations for improvement based on the lessons learned.

Steps of After Action Review

The AAR process typically includes the following steps:

Gather Data: Collect data on the action or activity being evaluated, including observations, interviews, and documentation.
Analyze Data: Analyze the data collected to identify performance, successes, and areas for improvement.
Identify Lessons: Identify the lessons that can be learned from the action or activity.
Develop Recommendations: Develop recommendations for improvement based on the lessons learned.
Implement Recommendations: Implement the recommendations to improve future performance.

Benefits of AAR

AAR offer several benefits, including:

Continuous improvement: AARs help organizations to continuously improve by identifying areas for improvement and implementing recommendations for change.
Accountability: AAR hold individuals and teams accountable for their actions and performance.
Learning: AARs provide an opportunity for individuals and teams to learn from their actions and activities.
Effective communication: AAR promote effective communication by providing a forum for individuals and teams to discuss their actions and performance.

After Action Review (AAR) is a valuable process for evaluating the effectiveness of an action or activity. AAR help organizations to continuously improve by identifying areas for improvement and implementing recommendations for change. By conducting regular AAR, organizations can foster a culture of accountability, learning, and effective communication.

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Sachin Naik

Passionate about improving processes and systems | Lean Six Sigma practitioner, trainer and coach for 14+ years consulting giant corporations and fortune 500 companies on Operational Excellence | Start-up enthusiast | Change Management and Design Thinking student | Love to ride and drive