A proud member of Allied Command Transformation
Joint Analysis and
Lessons Learned Centre
NATO’s Lead Agent for Lessons Learned
The JALLC’s mission
Mission First,
People Always
The JALLC is NATO’s Centre dedicated to support Alliance-wide
implementation and sustainment of NATO’s Lessons Learned policy
through monitoring and supervising the NATO Lessons Learned
process. It is the lead agent for the collection and sharing of lessons,
accomplished through active content management of the NATO
Lessons Learned Portal, Joint Analysis (as an integral part of the
lessons learned process) and outreach to allies and partners. The
JALLC supports warfare development and
warfighting, improving NATO’s ability to operate
and adapt, through training, advising and
assessment activities enabling the establishment
and sustainment of effective lessons learned
capabilities across NATO.
The JALLC was established in Lisbon, Portugal, in September 2002 as NATO’s lead agency for the
analysis of operations, training and experiments, and for the dissemination of Lessons Learned. The
precursor body to the JALLC was the Permanent Maritime Analysis Team (PAT) based at Northwood,
UK.
The PAT was established in 1978 and conducted operational analysis of NATO maritime exercises. The
PAT formed the core of the team tasked with analysis of the NATO IFOR and SFOR operations in the
Former Yugoslavia which concluded that NATO lacked a standing joint analysis capability, ultimately
leading to the operational requirement for the JALLC to be approved by the NATO Military Committee in
June 1997.
The implementation concept, recommending the JALLC be located in Portugal as the most efficient and
effective location for NATO’s analysis and Lessons Learned capability, was submitted to the
International Military Staff in January 2000 and approved by the Military Committee on 07 December
2001. Finally, on 02 May 2002, the North Atlantic Council approved the activation of the JALLC as a
NATO Military Body from 02 September 2002 and the simultaneous de-activation of the PAT. The
JALLC was formally opened on 06 December 2002 and declared full operational capability on 28 March
2006.
Our History
Activities Although the JALLC was originally conceived to primarily analyse exercises, changes to the NATO
environment and growing NATO involvement in operations resulted in the JALLC’s focus shifting to
operations and major NATO Response Force exercises. Gradually, the JALLC has become engaged in a
wide range of activities, such as managing and maintaining the NATO Lessons Learned Portal,
developing and delivering Training Courses, and maintaining the NATO Lessons Learned Handbook and
the Joint Analysis Handbook. The JALLC also organizes the annual NATO Lesson Learned Conference
which covers themes topical to NATO Lessons Community and draws participants from across NATO,
Nations, Partner Nations, and other organizations.
NATO organizations can submit analysis requirements through their chain of command to SHAPE and
HQ SACT for consideration in the JALLC’s Programme of Work. Urgent requirements can be submitted
through the emerging request procedure. For more information on the JALLC, our activities, and how to
engage the JALLC, visit our website: www.jallc.nato.int
The JALLC develops its education and training programme to ensure that the best
possible courses are provided on Lessons and Analysis related topics in support of the
NATO Lessons Learned Process.
The NATO Lessons Learned Portal (the Portal) is NATO’s centralized hub for all
matters related to Lessons Learned. and it is managed and maintained by the JALLC,
contributing to the NATO Lessons Learned Process.
Analysis is an important part of the NATO Lessons Learned Process and is key to
transforming Observations into Lessons. The JALLC analyses a wide variety of data
tackling NATO-wide issues to improve and transform the Alliance.
The JALLC Advisory & Training Team (JATT) ensures that NATO’s Lessons Learned
Process and the underlying capability is widely known and used throughout NATO.
through tailored training and support.
The JALLC supports NATO by providing education and/or training to the exercise’s
Lessons Learned staff and key leaders, and if necessary, supports the analysis process,
allowing staff to turn observations into Lessons.
The Lessons Learned Conference is NATO’s Lessons Community’s opportunity to get
together and discuss important related topics.
How to get JALLC Support
You Make it Work!
The NATO Lessons Learned Portal (the Portal) is NATO’s
centralized hub for all Lesson-related information within NATO and
is managed and maintained by the JALLC.
The Portal is effectively the gateway to the NATO Lessons Learned
Process which is how we learn as an organization and transform the
Alliance. Once data (i.e. something we think needs to change) is fed
into the Portal, trained and experienced Lessons Learned Staff
Officers can analyse that data to determine whether or not it can be
turned into Lesson Identified which needs to be endorsed and implemented. If it is a Lesson Identified,
then concrete action is taken to make necessary changes within NATO. Once those changes have been
implemented and validated, we have learned the Lesson and it can be disseminated throughout NATO so
we don’t repeat mistakes and learn from our successes
The Portal is the key to successful NATO-wide
transformation facilitating the NATO Lessons
Learned Process, but it is also a database,
capturing valuable Lessons related knowledge and
making it available to everyone within NATO.
Whenever you want to know if NATO has learned
from someone’s past experience, the Portal is your
first port of call.
The NATO Lessons Learned Portal really is the
Alliance’s centralized Lessons hub and really is
your portal and relies on your input. As a collec-
tion of experiences, both good and bad, from the
people who work (and have worked) within the
organization, it relies on the input of everyone in
NATO to make it work. As a military organization,
a large number of the Alliance’s staff rotate every
three years. That means that the organization
runs the risk of losing valuable knowledge and
experience gained by every single member of staff
when they leave us and move on to their next
post; and that knowledge can potentially save
lives. We all have a responsibility to the Alliance
but also to each other to make sure we can learn
from our successes and correct our mistakes.
After all, there is only one kind of mistake, and
that’s the kind you don’t learn from.
The Portal also contains dedicated areas for
specific Communities of Interest (COI). These
COIs can be requested by a sponsor organization
and are set up by the Portal Managers at the
JALLC but managed and populated by the sponsor
organization. For example, the Portal currently
hosts COIs for Geospatial, Counter-Improvised
Explosive Devices, and Cyber Defence
Communities of Interest
Visit the Portal:
https://nllp.jallc.nato.int
Watch the NATO Lessons Learned Portal video at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RC8SnWgnoYM
Visit our website and watch the latest video on the
Portal for more information. www.jallc.nato.int
Watch the NATO Lessons Learned Portal video at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RC8SnWgnoYM
Understanding Lessons Learned
What are Lessons Learned? The term Lessons Learned (LL) is broadly used to describe people, things and activities related to the act
of learning from experience to achieve improvements. The idea of Lessons Learned in an organization is
that through a formal approach to learning, individuals and the organization can reduce the risk of
repeating mistakes and increase the chance that successes are repeated. In the military context, this
means reduced operational risk, increased cost efficiency, and improved operational effectiveness.
NATO’s Lessons Learned Capability In September 2011, the North Atlantic Council approved the revised NATO Lessons Learned Policy which
provides the overarching policy for Lessons Learned in NATO. NATO defines its Lessons Learned
capability as follows:
"A Lessons Learned capability provides a commander with the structure, process and tools
necessary to capture, analyze and take remedial action on any issue and to communicate and
share results to achieve improvement."
The NATO Lessons Learned capability comprises several important elements. Strong leadership support
and a positive Lessons Learned mindset across an organization are extremely important, governing the
success of real learning, sustained improvement and profitable knowledge-sharing among the Allies.
The NATO Lessons Learned Process
NATO’s Lessons Learned Capability is supported by the NATO Lessons Learned Process which is
depicted below and is applied to observations made by anyone within NATO regarding anything the
Alliance might be able to learn from; whether a daily routine activity or observations from conducting an
operation, from things that went wrong to best practices. All of these observations are run through the
NATO Lessons Learned Process. The JALLC’s role in the
NATO Lessons Learned
process is diverse and each
one of our Key Activities
contributes to it: from
managing submissions in the
Portal, to training people on
how to use it. from analysing
data looking for (statistical)
trends to conducting the
analysis phase of the NATO
Lessons Learned Process for
more complex NATO-wide
issues on behalf of SACT.
The past is where you learned the lesson. The future is where you apply the lesson. Don’t give up in the middle.
What is Analysis? Analysis is a process used to thoroughly understand areas of activity
identified to have potential for improvement. Analysis involves taking
something and looking at it in different ways to develop an understanding of
essential features or meaning. Analysis is an important part of the NATO
Lessons Learned Process and is key to transforming Observations into
Lessons. The JALLC’s analysis teams are able to analyse a wide variety of
data, including data in the Portal, tackling NATO-wide issues to improve and
transform the Alliance.
Before a Lesson can be Learned, it first needs to be identified. Before we can identify a Lesson, we must
analyse the underlying problem to see if there is a potential Lesson to be Learned. There is an entire
stage in the NATO Lessons Learned Process dedicated to analysing observations. It’s this stage that
allows us to determine whether the observation is a Lesson Identified. Sometimes that analysis is
relatively simple: there is an obvious
root cause, the problem is internal,
and the solution can easily be found.
But sometimes this is not the case,
and that’s when analytical
expertise is required. This is where
the JALLC comes in.
The JALLC aims to conduct from four
to six complex analysis projects per
year. Projects are tasked through
Analysis Requirements via our
Programme of Work. Approximately
80% of the recommendations in
JALLC Analysis Reports are
endorsed and go on to
contribute to NATO’s Transformation.
The JALLC conducts its Analysis
projects in accordance with the
JALLC Project Approach (JPA), an
adaptation of the PRINCE 2 (Projects
In a Controlled Environment)
approach, which ensures the focus
on quality and timeliness of JALLC
analysis products.
Joint Analysis is conducted upon
request of the JALLC superior com-
mand HQ Supreme Allied Command
Transformation (ACT) which collects
and collates analysis requirements
from across NATO and selects only
those that truly require this level of
subject matter expertise to analyse
them.
The JALLC’s Analysis Teams
The JALLC’s analysis teams are able to analyse all types of
data, including data submitted to the Portal, but also data
collected in the field (operations and exercises). This data is
collated and analysed to help NATO determine whether or not
there are Lessons to be learned from observations or in order to
make recommendations on how to resolve NATO-wide,
enduring, complex issues. The JALLC uses various analysis
techniques including Alternative Analysis. These techniques are
applied by the JALLC’s analysts (military and civilian) with a
range of analytical backgrounds; from Statistical Analysis to
Social Network Analysis, the JALLC’s Analysis Capability
provides a broad scope of options to help the Alliance under-
stand the challenges it faces and transform to meet them..
An example of combined qualitative and quantitative analysis conducted by the JALLC to
establish how ISAF reduced incidents of Civilian Casualties over the course of the mission
The JALLC is continuously developing its education and training
programme to ensure that the best possible courses are provided
on Lessons and Analysis related topics. The JALLC provides a
variety of training courses, both onsite and online including on
conducting analysis, and on the NATO Lessons Learned Portal and how to use it.
In addition, the JALLC offers a Lessons Learned Officer of Primary Responsibility
course (online) and is on track to develop more online courses over the next few
years, including e-learning versions of current courses.
The NATO Lessons Learned Staff
Officer (LLSO) Course is intended
to prepare LLSOs to manage and
execute an organizational Lessons
Learned process using the NATO
Lessons Learned process, training, tools, and
information sharing in order to develop a Lessons
Learned capability. During the course,
participants also gain
knowledge of organi-
zational learning,
observation collection,
basic analysis
techniques as well as
endorsing, resourcing,
tasking, and imple-
menting Lessons
Identified.
The JALLC Analyst Training Course
(JATC) is a key training event at the
JALLC. Participants are led through
a wide range of issues and topics
related to the conduct of analysis at
the JALLC. The course covers all stages of the
JALLC Project Approach (JPA) and includes
lectures and practical group assignments which
give the students a chance to practice the
knowledge they gain during the lectures. The Lessons Learned Officer of
Primary Responsibility (LLOPR)
Course is an online course,
tailored to NATO LLOPR's needs. It
was developed by the JALLC,
supported by Allied Command Transformation
and with the contribution of Lessons Learned spe-
cialists from all over NATO and with the
support of NATO Partners.
The NATO Lessons Learned Portal
workshop is designed to help users
get to grips with the functionalities
of the Portal and how to use it
efficiently and effectively.
The aim of the Alternative Analysis
course is to introduce the principles
and practices of NATO AltA and train
students in the application of
alternative analysis tools and
techniques in support of decision-making and
problem solving in order to fulfil the role of an AltA
Facilitator. The JALLC contributes to this course
through the provision of an AltA Trainer (one of the
JALLC's Operational Research Analysts) and
provides JALLC-tailored AltA training on a regular
basis to JALLC military and civilian analysts.
LLSOC
JATC
AltA
LLOPR
NLLP
In 2010, the JALLC established the JATT in order to develop and enhance
the NATO Lessons Learned Capability across NATO and among Allies,
Partners, and other organizations. The JATT is essentially a mobile training
team, taking the JALLC’s expertise and experience outside of the confines of
the building to NATO HQs and bodies, NATO Nations and Partner nations
and other organizations as required and requested. The JATT provides on-
site, tailored advice and training on the NATO Lessons Learned Capability,
helping to ensure that NATO’s Lessons Learned Process is widely known
and used throughout NATO.
The JALLC Advisory Training Team: JATT
The JATT offers an on-site condensed version of the NATO
Lessons Learned Staff Officer Course, introducing the theory of the
NATO Lessons Learned Capability and Process together with the skills
and tools required to put that theory into
practice.
What can the JATT Offer?
The JALLC will first make an Initial Assessment of a requestor’s Advisory
and Training requirements based on the request. What follows is a period
of Focused Engagement between the assigned JATT and the Customer
which ultimately results in the relevant advice and training package being
developed and delivered. Finally a robust relationship of Information
Sharing is maintained after the outreach engagement, ensuring an
efficient use of the opportunity to work together.
The standard JATT package includes sessions on understanding how
Observations become Lessons Identified, the use of the NATO Lessons
Learned Portal, as well as opportunities to practice the theory with case
studies and syndicate work. In addition to the standard JATT package, the
JATT can, on request and in coordination with the Customer, provide
additional training on specific topics that may be of particular relevance in
a given case. The JATT’s composition is tailored to each engagement to
ensure the best possible mix of military experience and expertise.
How to get JATT Support?
Mobile Training
The JATT can conduct training at national or NATO HQ locations, or on location at the JALLC. Requests
for JATT support can be sent to [email protected].
Initial Assessm
ent
Focused Engagem
ent
Sharing
info
The JALLC’s support to exercises is multi-faceted and
underpins all aspects of the JALLC’s Mission. JALLC
military and civilian analysts participate, on request, in
all stages of the NATO Exercise Process, from Con-
cept Specification and Development, through Planning
and Product Development, Operational Conduct to
Analysis and Reporting.
Exercises, especially the Crisis Response Planning
and Execution Phases, represent excellent venues at
which to collect observations and to complete surveys,
questionnaires, and interviews allowing our analysts to
collect valuable data in order to conduct analysis of a
particular topic or subject area. The JALLC aims to
support at least ten major NATO exercises per year.
JALLC staff also provide mentoring support,
training and advice on the NATO LL Process
during all stages of the NATO Exercise Process to
NATO LL staff employed on exercises. This
frequently requires JALLC staff to participate in
Exercise Planning Groups and Exercise
Planning Conferences as well as contributing to the
revision of key exercise documentation, and the deliv-
ery of training at targeted exercise training events for
Primary and Secondary Training Audiences such as
Academics, Key Leader Training (KLT) and Battle
Staff Training (BST).
Military exercises and training are essential
elements that drive NATO’s proficiency levels
and overall success as a multinational military
organization and are developed in support of
NATO’s overall objectives.
Final Exercise Reports, Lessons Identified and
Action Lists (LIAL) containing key
Lessons Identified and Best Practices are
uploaded to the NATO Lessons Learned Portal
(the Portal) where they can be reviewed and
analysed within NATO, contributing to the
transformation of the Alliance. The Portal is
NATO’s centralized hub for
all things related to Lessons
Learned and is actively
managed and maintained by
the JALLC
Located in the Portal, NATO also has a dedicated Exercises,
Training, Reporting and Analysis (EXTRA) community of interest,
which is the hub of exercises related links, a library of key exercise
documents, and also provide a forum to exchange ideas, announce
events, and share exercise-related information.
The NATO Lessons Learned Conference is NATO’s Lessons
Community’s opportunity to get together and discuss important
related topics. The conference is hosted by the JALLC on behalf
of Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (SACT) and
Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) and SACEUR.
For each conference, a theme is selected for participants to
work on in group and plenary session with the ultimate objective
of making community-based recommendations for improvement
and transformation of the Alliance.
The Lessons Learned
Conference has become
an important event in the
Lessons Learned calen-
dar which brings together
all NATO and National
entities, developing a
stronger NATO Lessons
Learned Community.
Such an event provides
the opportunity for the
exchange of information and stimulates discussions on best and
suitable practices for improving current NATO capabilities and
supporting future capability development.
These recommendations are processed by the JALLC and fed into the NATO Lessons Learned Process
via the NATO Lessons Learned Portal where they are monitored and actioned, contributing to the
Alliance’s transformation.
Conference participant numbers are limited and signing up for the conference early is recommended. You
can find details about registration on the JALLC’s website and via the NATO Lessons Learned Portal.
Conference Outcome:
Transformation
Lessons Events
The NATO Lessons Learned Conference
The outcomes of the conference will be fed into the Portal and
run through the NATO Lessons Learned Process where Lessons
Identified will be monitored and actioned, materially contributing
to the Alliance’s transformation.
Copies of previous conference reports are available at the
JALLC’s website and give a good idea of the types of themes
that have been discussed at the conference over the years.
Signing Up
JALLC Products
Lessons Learned Products
Copies of almost all of the JALLC’s products can be found on the JALLC’s
website including a link to the NATO Lessons Learned Portal, factsheets
providing summaries of our analysis reports, our training and education
catalogue, information on JALLC outreach activities and on Lessons Learned
events such as the NATO Lessons Learned Conference, as well as interesting
articles, newsletters, handbooks and other relevant information. Or you can visit
our YouTube channel and watch our informative videos on the JALLC and the
NATO Lessons Learned Portal.
Besides the regular reports that the JALLC generates on the basis of data in the
Portal, the JALLC has also developed and published the NATO Lessons
Learned Handbook; the definitive guide to the NATO Lessons Learned Process
and “doing Lessons” in NATO. The Handbook gives an overview of: What are
Lessons Learned? Who Needs to Learn Lessons? And What is The Role of a
Lessons Learned Staff Officer? A copy of the latest edition of the handbook can
be downloaded from the JALLC’s website.
Analysis Products Since the JALLC’s door’s opened in 2002, the JALLC has conducted over 200
analysis projects for customers from all over NATO. Products include the
JALLC’s high-quality analysis reports, factsheets—which provide an overview of
each project (since 2011)—and other bespoke analysis products such as
topic related Lessons databases, metrics dashboards, and analysis tools and
applications.
Conference Reports The JALLC develops and publishes a report covering each iteration of the
Lessons Learned Conference covering the main topics discussed and
summarizing the outcome. A copy of any of the conference reports can be
downloaded from the JALLC’s website or are available on the Portal.
Handbooks & Guides
In connection with its training activities, the JALLC publishes a wide range of
handbooks, flyers, guides, etc. on Lessons and Analysis related topics such as
the Joint Analysis Handbook and the JPA Poster Guide. Copies of almost all of
these products can be downloaded from the JALLC’s website or
obtained at one of our courses free of charge.
www.jallc.nato.int
www.jallc.nato.int A proud member of Allied Command Transformation
Joint Analysis and Lessons Learned Centre (JALLC)
Avenida Tenente Martins
1500-589 Lisboa - Portugal
www.jallc.nato.int
Visit the Portal: https://nllp.jallc.nato.int
Tel. +351 21 771 7007
+351 21 771 7008
+351 21 771 7009
Fax: +351 21 771 7098
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