PsychGAR Group Discussion Tool

The PsychGAR group discussion is an adaptation of a tool used for community input for briefing and decision making. GAR stands for green, amber, red, which are how ratings are shared with each other, though we will tend to use more visual input using thumbs or arms.

The PsychGAR discussion is a tool for the following: 

• Getting input from all team members for risk management

• Identifying individual differences in expectations and risk tolerance 

• Improving decision-making as well as psychological safety for all team members

Detailed instructions are included in the handout:

• Link to PsychGAR printout with instructions

The PsychGAR group discussion tool is predominantly a way to assess gut feelings and mitigate risk related to human factors. In this way, it is distinct from other decision-making tools. Rather than an evaluation of criteria for decision-making, it is an opportunity for group input related to human factors with a focus on better understanding risks related to decision-making and differences in risk tolerance.

Mitigating Risk

In an ideal situation, we are all making decisions using an adequately balanced amount of emotional input, intuition, and objective analysis. In reality, lack of sleep, stress happening in one’s life, or lack of familiarity with each other can all affect our stress response. Having a broad awareness about how each other is feeling increases the likelihood of making good decisions together. PLEGUT, or PLEase share your GUT feelings, or "The Feelings Chat," is one approach to mitigating this risk while facilitating a collective awareness of the human factors of the team that may affect decision-making.

How It Works - Green/Amber/Red (GAR)

• We will go around the group and do a hazard evaluation. 

• For each topic, each person will be asked to give a personal rating of Green (ok, good to go), Yellow/Amber (I have concerns), or Red (I see major problems). 

• It is ok to have concerns with something; identifying that is how we can address them. 

  • Anything Amber/Yellow, we will discuss as a group how we can make it Green, or if it is okay to leave as Amber/Yellow. 

  • And anything Red, we will discuss how we can move it to Yellow or Green. 

  • Of course, these can also be discussed in a private manner. 

• The colors help to share while maintaining one’s privacy. The topics below are arranged according to the acronym PLEGUT, or PLEase share your GUT feelings. You may find in a mid-trip repeat check-in that you don’t need to discuss all topics.

PLEGUT: Topics and Possible Cues

Here are some possible topics and suggested cues:

• Planning: Do you feel that the briefing was adequate? Do you feel there is a sufficient plan for communication (verbal, visual, sensory)?

• Leadership: How confident do you feel that the activity leader and assistant understand what is involved with the activity or plan and are prepared? Do you feel like there is a sufficient number of assistants or more experienced members on the team relative to the activity’s difficulty so that the leader or assistant leader can maintain adequate situational awareness and big-picture decision-making?

• Environment: Weather, snowpack, elevation, terrain, bushwacking, river crossing, as appropriate.

• Gear/Skills: Do you have the required gear for the climb?  Sufficient food and water? Gear we haven’t discussed but that you’d like to discuss? Any skills that need to be refreshed?

• Unknowns/Complexity: Difficulty of approach and activity, has anyone done the activity previously, longer than a daytrip, backcountry overnight, number of people, route-finding difficulty, etc.

• Team: This one is about you—how do you feel about your own fitness, ability, training, sleep, anxiety, health issues? Consider sharing ways that other team members or leaders may help you. Share only what you’re comfortable sharing.