Malcolm Burson asked the question in LO27476 "is the AAR approach...a
well-developed version of single-loop learning?" As author of the
"Double-Loop Learning Matrix" article from the Systems Thinker referred to
in the previous message, I would like to weigh in on the issue. I also
read Marilyn Darling and Charles Parry's "Emergent Learning in Action: The
After Action Review." I also made a strong connection between our two
articles. My view would be "Yes, it is single-loop learning, and yes, it
is well-developed." Darling and Parry describe well the added dimensions
of increased team involvement, understanding, and empowerment". This
enables teams to develop the capacity to self-correct.
The reason I see this as single-loop learning is that, in AAR, they ask
questions WITHIN a particular action framework. For example: "What was
supposed to happen?", "What actually did happen?", and "What are we going
to do different next time?". Double-loop learning would ask questions
ABOUT the action framework itself. For example: "What are we doing that
causes this pattern of poor performance to continue to happen?", "What
makes us think that our action strategies will actually result in the
improvement we seek?", and "What beliefs do we hold that that cause us to
value this intended outcome in the first place?"
Malcom's second question was "is there another step needed in order for
deeper learning to emerge?" Again I say "yes". After a couple iterations
of the single loop questions, the group may discover that they still
aren't getting the results they expect. Then it is time to do some
double-loop learning. The process could be enhanced by asking the
double-loop questions listed above.
Marilyn, in your reply (LO27428) to the thread "After Action Review (as
used by U.S. Army)" you characterized the Army's AAR as "one of the best,
and certainly the longest standing, double-loop learning practices in
existence". Obviously, my view, as I've described above, differs from
your view. So, I'm curious about whether we have different understandings
of what "double-loop learning" actually means. What does "double-loop
leaning" mean to you, and how do you see that AAR incorporates this?
Regards,
Brian Hinken
--"Hinken, Brian" <blh@gmhs.org>
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