CHAPTER 4
Formal After Action Review

Typically, the formal After Action Review method is used for activities with larger scope. This can include construction projects, product launches, new legislation rollouts, or new public or private industry programs.

In Information Technology, the after action review process is sometimes called the Post Implementation Review. Likewise, depending upon the nature of the industry or profession, the concept of After Action Review may be referred to by a different name. Sometimes, the term “conducting a Post Mortem” is used. This implies that the activity-in-focus will be “dissected” to understand what happened and what can be learned from it.

In this guide, I provide a generic method that can be customized to suit a specific need. Unlike the Informal AAR where some light knowledge and experience of facilitation and brainstorming could suffice, in the formal AAR, an experienced facilitator is needed to help design the workshop scope, agenda, and approach and then conduct the session.

In some organizations, the line managers must be trained in facilitation; in others, it is best to engage an external facilitator. It can be a matter of organizational culture and practice.

Approach

Workshop session plan

The project manager/team leader in collaboration with the sponsor of the Activity-in-Focus is in charge of the AAR process.

1. Establish the AAR objective. Identify the description and scope of activity for which an AAR is to be conducted. The activity can be a factory has been built, a new product has been launched, governmental legislation has been instituted, a computer system has been rolled out, or a disaster such as a hurricane has to be assessed for post-event situation.
2. Identify and engage a facilitator (internal or external). A qualified and experienced neutral facilitator should be preferred. The facilitator does not have to be a subject matter expert, but needs to know enough about the business area of the Activity-in-Focus from the facilitation point of view.
3. Review the plan of the Activity-in-Focus. Determine what was planned and what actually occurred.
4. Identify the participants. All stakeholders who had direct involvement and responsibility of parts of the Activity-in-Focus.
5. Identify material to be used in the AAR workshop. This would include various stakeholders to be assigned to make presentations of the relevant aspects to be addressed in the AAR workshop. For example, in the construction of a manufacturing facility, the areas to be addressed can include site selection, engineering, contracts, construction, equipment installation, and hiring and training of employees.
6. Select a facilitation-friendly facility. A qualified facilitator would make a judgment of workshop timeframe and location. These estimates are based on number of participants and an initial approach to facilitating the session.
7. Establish venue and publish agenda. The project manager assisted by the facilitator would create and communicate the agenda for the participants. Venue logistics and resource needs would be initiated.

Facilitation agenda

Based on the agreed agenda, and in collaboration with the sponsor, manager, and/or key stakeholders, the facilitator would prepare a detailed agenda known as a Running Order Agenda (ROA), also called an Annotated Agenda. This is only shared with the project manager and not with the participants. The ROA is a systematic description of how the workshop would be conducted. It describes how to prepare presentation materials and determine requirements for facilitation supplies.

AAR Workshop

• Review the objectives of the AAR with the participants
• Review the Activity-in-Focus, its status, and relevant details for common understanding
• Facilitate session and capture relevant information in an organized manner
• Agree on the documentation, communication, and dissemination plan of the workshop output
• Close the AAR session

Following is a Methodology Template for planning and conducting a formal AAR.

Templates

Planning Template

The Methodology Template may be used as a guide by the individual in charge of the Activity-in-Focus to plan the AAR.