After Action Review

An After Action Review (AAR) is a learning tool developed by the US Army that is used to systematically share experiences within military units. It is carried out in the form of a short team meeting immediately after the deployment.

The aim of the review is to make mistakes and success factors of the mission visible for all members of the unit, to recognize potential, to develop strengths and to reduce weaknesses.

In the meantime, the AAR has found its way into personnel development and work in project teams.

An After Action Review takes place in four steps: First, the originally planned target state, i.e. the goals of the mission or project, is determined. In the second step, the events are processed chronologically. At this level, group members describe not only their actions, but also their expectations and feelings, key situations and problems encountered. The third step is a target / actual comparison. The causes for the success or failure of the mission or project are determined. Errors and success factors are addressed. On the basis of this analysis, in the fourth and final step, the group summarizes its experiences in so-called lessons learned . The lessons learned should benefit both the group itself and other groups in comparable situations.

literature

• Headquarters Department of the Army: A Leader's Guide to After-Action Reviews. (TC25-20).
• Dietrich von der Oelsnitz, Michael W. Busch: Team learning through After Action Review. In: Personnel Management. 2/2006, pp. 54-62.