The Encyclopedia of Interactive Performance

The stakes of Navy SEAL missions are often life and death. The price of failure is high. This is why SEALs implement a practice of continual improvement, including an After Action Review. If you want to keep improving your work, take a page from the Navy SEAL playbook.

An after action review (AAR) is a post-show discussion of a performance by the cast and production team. It’s not the same as director’s notes. This is a time when everyone involved with the show reflects on what happened. It’s a way to keep improving throughout the run of a production.

The time for an AAR is immediately after a performance, while the details are fresh in everyone’s mind. The process should be limited to about 30 minutes and include everyone on the team—cast, crew, and production staff. Sitting in a circle is ideal because it reduces a sense of hierarchy. (SEALs say, “Check your rank at the door.”) There are three assigned roles during an AAR—the facilitator, the timekeeper, and the scribe. The facilitator (often the stage manager) guides the process, the timekeeper tracks the time, and the scribe takes notes.

Proceed chronologically. Discuss each step of the experience, from the audience arrival to their final departure (e.g., pre-show experience, scene 1, scene 2, scene 3, lobby talk). The timekeeper allocates a specific amount of time for each step to ensure there’s enough time to cover the entire experience.

The first people to speak are those who were directly engaged with the audience and spects. Their job is to answer these questions:

1. What happened?
2. What was unexpected?
3. What went well, and why?
4. What could be improved, and how?

After those directly involved have shared their thoughts, others can share their perspectives.

During the discussion, the scribe captures the key points. If there are tasks identified that need to be done, these are noted as well, along with the individuals responsible and the completion deadlines.

When the AAR is over, the scribe’s notes are distilled into an After Action Report which is distributed to the entire team.

Facilitating an AAR

The facilitator’s job is to guide the progress of the AAR. This person doesn’t have to be the director. (In fact, it’s often better if it’s not.) Here are some guidelines to keep in mind when serving as the facilitator.

Include everyone – The most comprehensive understanding comes from a variety of viewpoints. Invite input from multiple perspectives.

Be candid – Everyone should speak with complete candor while also being respectful of each other.

Focus on facts – Describe what happened in objective terms. Don’t get caught up in emotions and opinions.

Improvement, not blame – When things went wrong, don’t assign blame. Identify the reasons that things happened the way they did. Look for ways to improve in the future.

Be concise – Keep things short and sweet. Summarize events. Don’t repeat what’s already been said. Agreement can be expressed with a "nodding fist" to keep things moving along.

Respect the time – If an AAR runs long, it becomes counterproductive. If time runs out before all thoughts can be shared, have people write them down and give them to the scribe.

Sometimes people need a little support when sharing information. Here are some useful questions when facilitating an AAR:

• What happened?
• What surprised you?
• What did that make you think or feel?
• How did you respond?
• Why did you take that action?
• When did you take that action?
• What had the greatest impact on the success achieved?
• What can be done differently to improve in the future?
• What improvements require the support of the production team?
• What advice would you give others based on your experience?

At the end of an AAR, it’s a good practice to summarize the major points that have come up. This helps identify the takeaways for the entire group.

Afterwards, create an after action report. (A template is included in Vignette Production Files.) The report distills key thoughts and identifies any related action items. Writing should be clear and concise, otherwise it’s unlikely to be read. Distribute the report promptly so that lessons learned can be applied right away.

An after action review considers a performance from a variety of perspectives. It’s a way to learn lessons, generate solutions, and enable continuous improvement.