Lessons-learned review after a crisis: decision chronology and corrective action plan

Situations relevant to a lessons-learned review after a crisis

• A crisis ends without any analysis of the decision chain.
• An incident revealed weaknesses that the organisation has not yet corrected.
• A local authority wishes to draw shared lessons from an event that mobilised several departments.
• A public institution is preparing for the next crisis on the basis of the experience of the previous one.
• The logs, messages and minutes of the crisis exist, without an overall reading.

Process

1. Purchase and onboarding. The client first acquires the CV-12 intake form; public bodies proceed through public procurement. ASKonsult then opens the secure exchange space.
2. Synchronous scoping. The first session, a 60-minute videoconference, sets the scope of the analysis and the list of contributors. It also settles the no-blame rules.
3. Asynchronous collection. The organisation completes the intake form and submits the logs, messages and minutes of the crisis. Written questions then flow in both directions.
4. Analysis and correction. The in-house engineering team reconstructs the chronology and analyses the gaps between decisions and the information available. The second session, a 120-minute videoconference, then takes the form of a collective lessons-learned workshop.
5. Synchronous delivery. The third session, lasting 90 minutes, presents the report and the corrective action plan. ASKonsult hands over the validated deliverable on this occasion.

Deliverable

The lessons-learned review after a crisis first takes the form of a report. This report traces the chronology of the crisis and identifies the decision points. It then draws out the causes and lessons. A corrective action plan completes the report. Each action is assigned an owner and a deadline. ASKonsult hands over the whole set at the delivery session, at the end of a 3 to 5-week process. The action plan thus serves as a basis for the organisation’s preparedness.

Prerequisites

The package requires the completion of the CV-12 intake form. The organisation also submits the written records of the crisis: logs, messages and minutes. In addition, the key actors make themselves available for the collective workshop. Their participation indeed determines the quality of the reconstruction.

Frequently asked questions

How is the package quote established?

A qualification exchange precedes subscription. It assesses in particular the number of entities and contributors concerned by the analysis. The special conditions then set the scope, timetable, number of sessions, expected documents and deliverable. ASKonsult then creates the order from the quote. For public bodies, the order follows the form provided for by their regulations: purchase order, public contract or agreement.

What do the no-blame rules cover?

The scoping session sets no-blame rules before any collection. The lessons-learned review after a crisis thus focuses on the decision chain, not on individuals. It also excludes any disciplinary investigation and any search for individual liability. Contributors therefore take part in the analysis within a framework established from the outset. The collective workshop falls within this same framework.

How does the collective workshop unfold?

The workshop occupies the second session, a 120-minute videoconference. It takes place after the chronological reconstruction and the gap analysis. The key actors jointly examine the sequence of facts and decisions. Their input then feeds the report and the corrective action plan. Finally, the third session, lasting 90 minutes, presents these documents in their validated form.

From when do the time frames run?

The time frames given in the product sheet remain indicative. They run from receipt of a complete file, including the intake form and written records. In addition, the start date appears in the special conditions. ASKonsult may nevertheless defer a subscription when its schedule is full. Finally, synchronous sessions follow prior scheduling, in set time slots.

Do the written records of the crisis remain confidential?

ASKonsult treats as confidential the information and documents submitted, including the logs and messages of the crisis. They circulate solely through the secure exchange space. Their use is also limited to the purposes of the package. This obligation survives the end of the relationship. The client, in return, is answerable for the accuracy and completeness of the information it submits.

What follows the lessons-learned review?

The report leads to a preparation plan. The Crisis management plan package (K-11) then installs the crisis unit and the decision log. A simulation exercise then tests this set-up. In addition, the Executive subscription (A-03) offers executive management teams a priority qualification channel. Support during an ongoing crisis falls, for its part, under the dedicated daily package (C-23).

Out of scope

The lessons-learned review after a crisis excludes any disciplinary investigation and any search for individual liability. Technical analysis of the incident also remains outside the package. Likewise, legal analysis of disputes arising from the crisis falls to an authorised professional. The package thus focuses on the decision chain and on the organisation’s preparedness.