After Action Review (AAR)

Origin. US Army (1970s); adopted widely in emergency services and business.

Mechanism. Structured reflection immediately after an event, while memory is fresh and before narratives harden. The focus is on learning, not blame; the question is what happened and why, not who is at fault.

Procedure. Four questions: What was supposed to happen? What actually happened? Why was there a difference? What will we do differently next time? Conduct as close to the event as possible. Include all participants. Focus on actions and decisions, not personalities. Document the lessons and assign ownership for changes.

Applies to. Any significant event, project, or decision — successes as well as failures.

Limitations. Degenerates into blame assignment if psychological safety is absent. Lessons are documented and never read. The "what will we do differently" produces commitments that no one follows. AAR without follow-through teaches cynicism.