A tried and tested military system
During my 2 years 3 months of military service in Singapore, I spent ~9 months in Officer Cadet School (OCS) – we were taught and instilled with BARDARPAR as an effective feedback and improvement system. We were training to become commissioned officers (Lieutenants) to lead an Infantry platoon of 27 men.
Military operational demands and constraints are strict – and BARDARPAR was one system developed to allow rapid improvement and adaptation of a group’s combined effectiveness by addressing strengths and weaknesses in-relation to mission requirements. This was applicable regardless of group size or organisational hierarchy.
While civilian and military contexts are worlds apart – I find the operational efficiency, systems, and esprit de corps in the military uniquely special and believe aspects can be applied in civilian life. As much as possible, in whatever teams I’m in – I try to implement it in some frequent form because I’ve experienced its value.
To me, this is one of the biggest reasons I’ve managed to improve both technically and non-technically in a consciously rapid way. And also build better team dynamics.
What is BARDARPAR?
.png)
BARDARPAR stands for:
- BAR: Before Action Review
- DAR: During Action Review
- PAR: Post Action Review
Action: means the execution/operation of the team’s work. Activity = Action.
Review: generally consists of 3 questions considering:
- at the overall team-level
- specifically for each other member
- and importantly, to ask yourself
Questions:
- What was good and needs to be continued?
- What was bad or needs to improved/addressed?
- What are we going to do going forward? (80/20 it)
Each Action Review is conducted at a different phase of an operation. Before, during, and post. After Action Review (AAR): the practice of reviewing immediately after any action has concluded.
Filling the Knowledge Gap and Strategic Gap
from an interesting article about BARDARPAR in the NBA, from Zack
I like this concept of Knowledge Gap and Strategic Gap.
Here’s how I see it:
- At the start, a team has knowns:
- “What firm knows”
- “What firm must do”
- and unknowns:
- “What firm must know”
- “What firm can do” (real-situation is unpredictable until occurrence)
BARDARPAR is a process loop that enables discovery of unknowns and constant updating of knowns – connecting those 4 bubbles.
- BAR:
- establishes
- “What firm knows”
- “What firm must do”
- predicts and forecasts
- “What firm must know”
- “What firm can do”
- establishes
- DAR:
- from discovery of
- “What firm must know”
- “What firm can do”
- updates
- “What firm knows”
- “What firm must do”
- from discovery of
- PAR:
- reduce Knowledge Gap
- clarify and identify Strategic Gap
This is a simple and concise way of understanding BARDARPAR’s benefits beyond a feedback framework for team and individual.
Here’s the magic about this system:
- Different purposes for different stages: this allows better focus and relevancy for each phase of the mission.
- BAR: the planning review prepares the team
- the same questions apply, however – it’s in future/present-tense rather than past-tense.
- What’s our strengths? What’s our weaknesses/gaps? What’s the plan?
- prevents a cold start
- preempts team on known capabilities and gaps in-relation to the mission
- allows better application of strengths and management of weaknesses
- roles and responsibilities clarified
- previous learnings from PAR can be implemented
- increased clarity and change-resilience among team during action phase
- the same questions apply, however – it’s in future/present-tense rather than past-tense.
- DAR: the latest/immediate review adjusts the team
- lower-level and latest perspective
- reality is different from plans, DAR’s adapt the team towards the real-time situation and events
- allows ad-hoc immediate triage of discovered issues (new or escalate)
- often can be a mini-PAR for a sub-Action within the Action
- e.g. Action: launch a new product feature
- sub-Action: scoping
- sub-Action: implementation
- sub-Action: monitoring
- e.g. Action: launch a new product feature
- this mini-PAR is an AAR (After Action Review)
- the more this is done, the closer the team’s heading is adjusted towards success
- currency allows better recall of events than leaving it all for PAR (human memory limits)
- PAR: the consolidation review allows reflection and distills what’s crucial for the team to takeaway
- higher-level perspective
- the classic ‘feedback session’ after a project/work-sprint
- ties off loose-ends
- surfaces any lingering issues among the team
- allows time for deeper insights and discussion
- a source of truth for oneself
- BAR: the planning review prepares the team
- Three simple questions: it’s pretty simple, but I found it can open up deeper discussions and revelations.
- Positive signal for growth mindset and long-term collaboration potential :
- a teammate who’s keen or down for feedback has a stronger growth mindset than one that doesn’t.
- My rule of thumb is to never team-up again with someone that doesn’t want to give feedback or receive feedback – as neither of us are perfect, and the appreciation for a feedback loop is a baseline attribute for a team player.
For hackathon teams, I generally apply it in the form of:
- BAR: via team introductions on skillsets, discussion on Ways of Working & communication, tasks breakdown and assignment, and progress estimates…etc.
- DAR: via frequent sync-ups to callout blockers, and DM’s to call out and ask for positives and areas of concern.
- PAR: via EOI for feedback to be received and given. And if team works > 5 days, I organise a feedback session. It’s clearest to do it in PAR, and DAR in a mini-form, while BAR is more inlaid within the planning.
Further reading
Apart from that Knowledge and Strategic Gap stuff, that was all from my memory and current understanding.
(1) On a quick Google, here’s a doc that goes into more detail on page 18, from SAFTI Military Institute on Action Learning Process essentially, the official Singapore Armed Forces source.