Post-Incident Debriefing: Learning Without Blame

Debriefing is one of the simplest and most effective ways to improve safety in diving. It strengthens judgment, highlights small problems before they repeat, and helps teams understand how a dive actually unfolded.

At a Glance

• Purpose: Learn from dives and reduce repeated mistakes
• Focus: Communication, judgment, and human factors
• When: Any time the dive did not match the plan
• Outcome: Safer, calmer, better-aligned teams

What Counts as “Worth Debriefing”

You do not need a crisis to learn something. Debrief anytime the dive didn’t go exactly to plan or someone had a moment of discomfort. Examples:

• Early turn due to cold, fatigue, or nerves
• Gas tracking was inconsistent between buddies
• Separation, slow response to signals, or unclear roles
• Forgotten gear, minor equipment issues, or awkward entries
• Situations that felt “off” but didn’t escalate

These small lessons accumulate. They are what make teams sharper, calmer, and more predictable underwater.

Psychological Safety Comes First

A debrief only works when people feel safe being honest. That means:

• No sarcasm or judgment
• No “you should have…” lectures
• No public calling-out of one diver
• Open questions instead of loaded ones
• Everyone, including the most experienced diver, contributes something they could do better next time

Psychological safety is not softness. It is the foundation that allows real information to surface. Learn more

The DEBrIEF Model

The DEBrIEF model, created by The Human Diver, gives structure to post-dive reflection. It is used in high-risk fields like aviation, medicine, and diving to turn real-world experiences into better future decisions. It works just as well for recreational divers after a simple fun dive.

The steps below reflect the real Human Diver sequence:

D – Define (Leader)

Confirm the goals of the dive and the scope of the debrief. This sets expectations and keeps the conversation focused.

E – Example (Leader)

The leader sets the tone by sharing one of their own mistakes or surprises. This models vulnerability and establishes psychological safety.

B – Background

Review the pre-dive planning, assumptions, and any admin factors: clarity of the brief, timing, environmental changes, or missing information.

r – review (small “r”)

A brief walk-through of the major events, not a minute-by-minute replay. Highlight key moments rather than narrating the entire dive.

I – Internal Learning

Each diver answers: What did I do well? Why did it work? What will I improve and how? One learning point each is enough.

E – External Learning

Now look at team dynamics. What helped the team succeed? What caused friction or confusion? Use specific examples, not vague comments.

F – Follow-up / File / Fix

Identify concrete actions: change equipment, adjust checklists, clarify roles, revise assumptions, or document findings. Learning often happens here after the dive.

Common Reasons Divers Skip Debriefs

• “Nothing went wrong.” Something may still have been unclear, stressful, or barely noticed.
• “We’re tired.” A 30-second debrief catches issues before the next dive repeats them.
• “Don’t want to upset anyone.” A proper debrief is not criticism. It’s shared learning.

Skipping the debrief means giving up the only moment when everyone’s memory is still fresh.

When Not to Debrief Yet

If someone is shaken, injured, scared, or emotionally overloaded, pause the process.

Say something like:
“Let’s get settled and make sure everyone’s OK. We can talk when people feel ready.”

This protects psychological safety and leads to a better conversation later.

How to Start a Debrief if No One Else Does

If you’re diving with casual buddies or new friends, simple prompts keep things light but useful:

• “Anything we want to tighten up before the next dive?”
• “Did anything feel off or unexpected?”
• “One thing you want to repeat because it worked well?”
• “One thing you want to adjust?”

You’re not correcting people. You’re opening the door.

Debriefing Even When Nothing Happened

High-reliability teams learn from normal operations, not just failures. After a smooth dive, ask:

• “What made this dive work well?”
• “Any surprises you noticed, even small ones?”
• “Anything that would make the next dive smoother?”

This builds a culture of reflection, not critique.

The most capable divers aren’t the ones who avoid mistakes. They’re the ones who examine them, understand why their decisions made sense in the moment, and adjust their habits for next time.

The DEBrIEF model gives recreational divers a practical way to do exactly that.