What Is a Hot Wash?
Hot wash is a military debriefing strategy that has gained popularity recently, particularly for its informal approach to capturing key insights immediately following an emergency or drill. Although there is some debate regarding its origins, it is widely believed to have begun in the U.S. Army. "hot wash" originates from soldiers using hot water to clean their weapons right after an exercise or mission.
During these operations, dirt and grit can accumulate on the weapons and equipment. If addressed, this contamination can become easier to remove over time and may reduce factors that lead to misfires. By using hot water, soldiers could quickly eliminate the bulk of the debris without disassembling their weapons.
This cleaning practice eventually transitioned into a debriefing method, where participants come together immediately after a mission or drill to discuss observations and lessons learned. The primary objective is to swiftly capture immediate insights, reserving more in-depth analysis for later. Just as soldiers focus on removing significant debris from their weapons, the hot wash strategy immediately addresses major takeaways without delving into the micro details.
The goal is speed. Capture the immediate lessons and save the deeper analysis for later.
Hot wash v. after-action report review
Hot washes and after-action reviews (AARs) are technically similar, but AARs build on the foundational elements of a hot wash. A hot wash is an informal process that is more flexible than the structured nature of AARs. Here are some key differences between the two.
Hot wash | After-action review |
Informal and immediate
| Formal and structured
|
How to Conduct a Hot Wash Meeting
A hot wash meeting is a streamlined version of a formal after-action review (AAR). It should address four key components: recap, review, analysis, and improvements.
1. Recap: What was expected to happen?
2. Review: What actually occurred?
3. Analysis: What aspects were executed successfully?
4. Improvements: What can be done better?
While it's essential to maintain a quick pace during the hot wash, it's equally important to prepare in advance for these four components. Here’s how to conduct an effective hot wash meeting.
Establish Your Intent
The primary purpose of a hot wash is to examine the strengths and weaknesses of your response to an emergency drill or emergency immediately after it occurs. Rather than reviewing the entire situation, you should focus on a specific aspect of the exercise or event. Clearly define the scope of your hot wash from the beginning to ensure that all participants concentrate on the right objectives.
Creating a loose agenda based on the four key components can help guide and keep your discussion focused. Remember that hot washes are meant to be collaborative. If the agenda is too rigid, it may hinder the free flow of ideas. Use the agenda as a tool to stay on track rather than as a way to control the conversation. By building it around the four objectives—recap, review, analysis, and improvement—you provide an open framework that encourages meaningful discussion.
Identify Your Key Parties
While a formal after-action review includes all stakeholders, a hot wash simplifies the process by inviting only those directly involved. In the discussion, include anyone who played a role in planning, executing, or managing the emergency.
You will also need a facilitator. This person guides the conversation, keeps everyone focused, and collects feedback. It is best to have a facilitator who was not directly involved in the emergency response, drill, or tabletop exercise to ensure an unbiased perspective.
Set an Accessible Location
The location for your hot wash should encourage collaboration and open discussion. A great option is to hold it as a remote meeting. This virtual setting allows participants to join from anywhere, and you can incorporate various tools to facilitate an organized discussion. Whether you choose an in-person or virtual format, ensure the location is accessible, comfortable, and distracted-free.
Gather Pertinent Data
While data can enhance the outcomes of your hot wash, it should not overshadow the importance of speed. Focus on key information such as timelines, performance data, incident reports, and feedback or survey results. The most critical data gathered during your hot wash will be the feedback from the participants, so prioritize active engagement over printed materials and charts.
Set Basic Ground Rules
The hot wash is intended to be an open exchange of information. While it's important not to stifle this free flow, you should ensure everyone feels they have a voice. Here are some basic rules to consider:
1. Focus on Processes and Systems, Not People: The "what we did wrong" section of the hot wash should concentrate on identifying inefficient processes or systems rather than placing blame on individuals.
2. Highlight What You Did Right: Acknowledging successes helps maintain a positive conversation and can serve as a foundation for improvement. For instance, if communication is a strength, it might also be leveraged to address weaknesses.
3. Anonymize Comments When Appropriate: If a question might lead to uncomfortable situations, such as feedback on a supervisor from a team member, the facilitator should collect responses and anonymize them. This helps promote honesty, even when addressing sensitive topics.
4. Request a Problem/Solution Format: If anyone disagrees with a proposed insight or solution, they should provide an alternative. This "no problems without a solution" guideline prevents the meeting from straying into unproductive negativity.
5. Keep the Focus on One Topic at a Time: While brainstorming is essential, it’s important not to get sidetracked as people introduce new ideas. Stick to one topic until a decision is reached, then move on to the next issue.
6. Allow Mixed-Response Formats: Some team members may not feel comfortable speaking up in large groups, and relying solely on vocal input may not represent everyone's views. Consider providing options for submitting feedback via instant message, text, or email as alternative forms of communication.
Preparing your hot wash report
To create your hot wash report, you should document details from your hot wash in an after-action report (AAR) to inform future responses. The AAR should address four key questions: recap, review, analysis, and improvements. It should also outline the main action items and designate who is responsible for each.
Using a hot wash template can help you capture as many details as possible during your initial insights, which you can expand upon later. When sharing the results of your hot wash, present them in a clear and digestible format. Focus on the key insights and action items that will facilitate improvement moving forward. While the specific reasoning behind your conclusions is less critical, everyone must understand the constructive lessons learned. This approach maintains transparency, keeps the process focused, and fosters a safety culture.
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