🗒 Post-action Debrief and Feedback - data capture method

[ube]

Hi folks,

We’ve started thinking about Australia-wide post-action debriefing, and collating that information as part of the #australian-mass-mobilisation project.

There is a case for creating a way that XR Groups can systematically report what they did, how it went, things to improve on for next time, etc - in a way that other groups can also view while they are planning their own similar actions, as well as for National or Regional Actions groups to get a good idea of what capacities are building out there, as we go about forming Local Groups across the country, with a view to launching collective mass actions.

If groups gained a habit (or were actively supported) to report their actions, we’d build an inspiring picture of what everyone is up to, what is ‘working’, what is lacking and so on.

There are likely to be a few levels of this:

1. Simple date/location that something happened.
2. as above, including pictures/video/social media links
3. Concise debrief notes
4. detailed logistics report

In XRWA Action WG we figured this divided into 2 aspects:

1. The human relationship, regenerative debrief: AusMM Regen team have been working on a great Debrief Template: https://docs.google.com/document/d/10Q1RyJyw82yBZFxHAImtyjXakMyjZo3nPXEnd8z9HN0/edit
   Ideally, Regen WG teams in each Local or Regional/State Group develop their expertise in facilitating these debriefs, and train people to roll them out as a normal part of any action.

2. Logistical data capture… what happened, what to improve, etc. I haven’t been able to find anything that helps track this stuff… do you know of an existing template or form? Please let us know!
   We’ve started a list of things that might be useful to know, with the intention of turning them into a user-friendly, secure form that we’d encourage people to fill out in their debrief sessions.

Some important things to note:

• the form would have to be hosted somewhere under XR control, secure and private. This is most likely NextCloud. It has a Forms app, but it is not perfect. The form doesn’t ask for contact information.

• the questions/fields in the form would not be ‘required’ - there is a lot in it! So groups would just submit the bits that were relevant to their action, or that they felt need to be shared with other groups to help build our collective knowledge.

• whenever people are asked to fill out a form like this, it is VERY important that they are also able to access the collected results! This is proven to increase the likelihood that the forms are filled out, and accurately, because the ‘user’ immediately sees the benefit. So there’d need to be a map or spreadsheet or such, which publishes the results. It would be pretty inspiring to see the dots start adding up across a map of the country - and imagine being able to click one and read what happened!

• the questions in the form are only asking for information that would be in the public domain anyway - for example a bystander would be able to report on the form, CCTV would capture the things in it, Police videos would capture these things, etc… so it is not asking for anything private or secret, it’s just a way to pull together results of actions across Australia into one place.

Please have a look at this list of form questions, here: https://cloud.ausrebellion.earth/index.php/s/P9WyxdRGPdHGNEc
You should be able to edit this list, please add concerns, suggestions or comments there, or here.

Thanks!

[Sergeio (Sergeio Placebo)]

looking good. awesome work!

[ube]

hey @ManicMax - did this cross-post? I noted your intention to close and re-structure the AusMM Categories. I’ve tagged this one with #ausmm but I haven’t seen it cross post in the AusMM channels or Base category…did I do it right?

[ManicMax (Max)]

Hey @ube, good work!

Here’s some debrief resoures from XR UK if that helps: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1D10zWeKYO-Bhg1MGs17nWq4uVfJcnjXX
(it looks like you have already referenced this)

There’s also a whole bunch of slides that can be used in action debriefing in this deck of online training slides, intended for copy and use by activists:

Online Monster Manual

I’ll update the cross-posting on mattermost - at the moment it’s posting from ausmm to the actions / mobilisation / m&m channels according to tags but not the other way. I’ll fix that.

I’ll also add my 2 cents that the Actions category on the Base could be a good place for people to post their debriefs - it would be just a matter of providing the template and people copying it, filling it out, and posting it. The main issue would be the number of groups that don’t do any debrief, or do a debrief but don’t share it. This could be handled by having the Actions Debrief person in the Actions working group chase up and encourage debriefing. We could keep a calendar or list of upcoming and past actions and link to their debriefs. Something like this:

The other issue would be people who don’t use the Base - there would likely be benefit to doing a regular summary of actions that could go out in newsletters, drawing on the compiled debriefs for inspiration and learnings.

[lizziethea (Lizzie)]

Dear Regens,
I have been working on Trauma Informed Debriefs with a small mob I do Emapthy Cafes with. I’ve done a few with the Wingecarribees. I’d love to be available for support, conversation, encouragement with other debriefers, to ongoingly develop debriefs. I have a google doc with the approach I’ve been using so far, but it would be better to talk it through rather than have it used as a template. Some of us have been living with the question “How do we create a culture of support?” One of the ways is to do things with others, rather than the patriarchal model of doing things alone. Please be in touch if you’d like a listening supportive heart and mind, as you prepare for your debrief.
Go rebels!

[Christie (Christie Wilson)]

Dear Lizzie,

Fantastic work and it would be great to offer a training in this method for Regen advocates of the AussMM groups. Please DM me if you would like to innate this process.

Cheers, Christie

[ManicMax (Max)]

Hey it’d be great to connect you (and @Christie) with the group from XR WA working on action debriefs.
Ewan is working with that group - he’s @ebu on mattermost, not sure if he’s on the Base.

[lizziethea (Lizzie)]

Hi Christie, I’d love to, but hand in hand with someone who is all over google docs and all XR communication channels. I’m into creating a culture of support and that’s the support I need to flourish.

Thanks

and what dates are you thinking re bus…