After-action review technical guidance

DEFINITION AND PURPOSE An after-action review (AAR) is a professional discussion of an event, that focuses on performance standards and enables development professionals and colleagues with similar or shared interests to discover for themselves what happened, why it happened, and how to sustain strengths and improve on weaknesses.

The AAR tool affords leaders, staff, and partners an opportunity to gain maximum benefit from every program, activity, or task.

It provides:

• Candid insights into specific strengths and weaknesses from various perspectives

• Feedback and insight critical to improved performance

• Details often lacking in evaluation reports alone