What is a key purpose of after-action reviews?

• A. Identify immediate punishments for staff.
• B. Identify lessons learned, improve future performance, and update standard operating procedures.
• C. Archive the review without sharing findings.
• D. Limit training opportunities to new staff.

Answer: (B)

After-action reviews are structured debriefs that focus on understanding what happened, why it happened, and how to perform better next time. The key purpose is to capture lessons learned from an event or operation and turn those insights into concrete improvements, including updates to standard operating procedures so future performance is better. This process emphasizes learning and system improvements rather than punishment or simply archiving findings. It also helps guide training by making sure recent experiences translate into practical changes in how the team works.