Chapter 17

• Jurisdiction: United States

Chapter 17

How to Conduct an After Action Review

Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.

—George Santayana, philosopher

Overview

In an After Action Review (AAR) the team assesses its performance against a stated goal or benchmark. The AAR should take place right after any important project or major activity so that the review is done when memories are fresh. An AAR allows the team to assess what happened, what should have happened, and what changes should be made to improve going forward. AAR is used as a quality improvement tool by many organizations, such as the military, hospitals, R&D organizations, and a growing number of professional firms, including law firms. I believe AAR is greatly underutilized by litigation teams. For that reason, I offer this chapter to provide guidance on how to conduct an AAR.

When to Conduct the AAR? Who Should Participate?

The AAR should be conducted following any significant case event—like a key client meeting, an important court filing or hearing, and each day of trial. An AAR does not need to be a formal meeting with a detailed agenda; it can be conducted in a few minutes as a separate agenda item in the weekly tactical meeting or team huddle.

An AAR is an educational opportunity, not a formal performance review. Any team member who can benefit from the AAR should attend. The AAR may be confined to just a project team or extended to the entire team, depending on what is covered. Consider who will benefit from the AAR and then send out invites.

How Do You Conduct an AAR?

Formal or informal?

The comments that follow can be applied to either a formal or an informal AAR. If a formal AAR is conducted, consider using an outside (non-team member)...