After-Action Review (AAR) Guidance

This guidance provides information on conducting an After-Action Review (AAR), including goals, assumptions/requirements, how-tos, lessons learned/best practice, and resources. It should be used after a project or major activity to allow team members and leaders to discover (learn) what happened and why, reassess direction, and review both successes and challenges.

This brief was written to support USAID and partners with collaborating, learning, and adapting (CLA) throughout the Program Cycle. It utilizes experience from the Knowledge-Driven Microenterprise Development project to share good practices, how-tos, and lessons learned about concepts and activities related to knowledge management and learning.