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Planning & Processnoun · /ˈɑːf.tər ˈæk.ʃən rɪˈvjuː/

after-action review

In simple English

An after-action review (AAR) is a formal process used in tech teams to systematically examine outcomes and extract lessons. Unlike casual feedback, an AAR follows a structured format, typically answering four key questions: What was supposed to happen? What actually happened? Why did it happen? What do we do differently next time? It originated in military training but is now widely adopted in software development, DevOps, and agile teams. The purpose is not to blame individuals but to improve processes and prevent similar issues in future sprints or projects. Teams conduct AARs after major releases, significant incidents, completed projects, or challenging deployments. The documented insights become part of organizational knowledge and inform future decision-making.

Understand how to conduct an after-action review and why tech teams use them to improve performance.

At a glanceCEFR B2
Commonness4/5
Versatility4/5
FormalityCasualFormalFormal
Spoken ↔ WrittenSpokenWrittenBoth
Directness ↔ DiplomaticDirectDiplomaticNeutral
RegionUS and UK
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Say it like this

Let us run an after-action review to see what we learned.
We scheduled an after-action review for Friday to discuss the launch.
The after-action review revealed several process gaps we need to address.

Real examples

in a standup

"Before we move to the next sprint, we need to conduct an after-action review of the deployment issues we faced."

in a retrospective meeting

"The after-action review showed that we lacked clarity on deployment responsibilities, which caused delays."

in an incident debrief

"During the after-action review, we identified that better monitoring would have caught the database issue earlier."

Don't say this

Handle with care. Often incorrectly used as a verb (to after-action review). It is primarily a noun. Do not confuse with a simple retrospective or post-mortem review without the structured process component.

We need to after-action review the sprint.
We need to conduct an after-action review of the sprint.After-action review is a noun, not a verb. Use conduct, hold, or perform with it.
The after-action review is just a meeting where people complain.
The after-action review is a structured process to identify lessons learned and improve future outcomes.An AAR is not informal venting but a systematic approach to learning from experience.
We ran an after-action review to find who made the mistake.
We ran an after-action review to understand what processes failed and how to improve them.An AAR focuses on process improvement, not individual blame.

Other forms

noun

after-action review

"The after-action review took two hours and produced ten action items."

noun

AAR

"We scheduled the AAR for next Tuesday afternoon."

Often used with

conduct an after-action reviewMost common way to use the term; conduct is the standard verb.
hold an after-action reviewAlternative verb meaning the same thing as conduct.
schedule an after-action reviewUsed when planning when the AAR will take place.
after-action review findingsThe conclusions or lessons discovered during the AAR.
after-action review meetingEmphasizes that an AAR is a meeting-based activity.

Similar words

retrospectiveSimilar but retrospective is less formal and more commonly used in agile. AAR implies a more structured process.
post-mortemUsed for serious incidents or failures. Less formal than AAR and often narrower in scope.
debriefMore casual; a debrief is simpler and may not follow the formal AAR structure.
lessons learned sessionBroader term; an AAR is one structured way to identify lessons learned.

Opposites

pre-action planningforward planning

Practice

Try it

4 quick exercises

Pick the most natural phrasing

1. Your team just finished a major release. How would you naturally say it?

Complete the sentence

2. Following the production incident, we _______ to identify root causes and prevent recurrence.

Spot the mistake

3. Which sentence uses 'after-action review' correctly?

Rewrite naturally

4. Rewrite this in tech English: 'We are going to meet and talk about what went wrong and what we can do better next time.'

Questions

Quick poll

Have you said "after-action review" in a standup this week?

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