Steps in Using the Critical Incident Technique

STEPS IN USING THE CRITICAL INCIDENT TECHNIQUE:

1) The incident. Read, review, or assume roles. Begin the investigation of the incident situation.

2) Fact-Finding. Collecting the details of the incident occurs in the small group discussions where the participants determine what they know about the situation and what else they need to know before making a decision. They decide what questions to ask the instructor.

3) The issue. When the groups have all the facts needed to decide the case, they should identify what they consider to be its central issues.

4) The Decision. Each trainee or group writes a decision on the incident and cites the central issues identified. The group members state how they would like to see the situation handled and why. Individuals or groups with varying responses to the same situation may be allowed to debate their rationale for the decision.

5) The Evaluation (the most important stage). In large groups the instructor guides the groups to focus on broader issues of the incident to analyze potential solutions to determine if the alternative courses of action will cause more trouble and to determine if the root causes are still present in the situation. Evaluate the exercise by centering on WHAT WAS LEARNED BY THE EXERCISE AS A DEMONSTRATION OF THE CRITICAL INCIDENT TECHNIQUE, not on who has the best decision to the incident itself.

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CEO, A.E. Schwartz & Associates, Boston, MA., a comprehensive organization which offers over 40 skills based management training programs. Mr. Schwartz conducts over 150 programs annually for clients in industry, research, technology, government, Fortune 100/500 companies, and nonprofit organizations worldwide. He is often found at conferences as a key note presenter and/or facilitator. His style is fast-paced, participatory, practical, and humorous. He has authored over 65 books and products, and taught/lectured at over a dozen colleges and universities throughout the United States.