Describe how to run an effective after-action review (AAR).

• A. Blame individuals responsible for failures.
• B. Skip documenting lessons to save time.
• C. Conduct only if the project failed completely.
• D. Summarize what happened, compare outcomes with objectives, identify lessons learned, and assign action items.

Answer: (D)

After-action reviews are a structured, learning-focused process used after a project or event to improve future performance. The effective approach is to summarize what happened, compare the outcomes with the original objectives or success criteria, identify the lessons learned, and assign concrete action items to address them. This sequence turns reflection into tangible improvements and helps ensure accountability by clarifying who will do what and by when.

Blaming individuals shuts down honest learning and morale, skipping documentation wastes valuable insights, and an AAR should be used to capture learning whether outcomes were good or poor, not only when the project fails completely.