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Critical Incident Technique

 

Disciplines > Human Resources > Job Analysis > Critical Incident Technique

Description | Discussion | See also

 

Description

In interview with the person whose job you are analyzing, ask them first to identify a 'critical incident'. This is something that is important or somehow significant within the job. It may be positive or negative in nature. It should also be a real incident that has happened, not something that might happen in the future.

Then ask them about what they did, with the goal of seeking effective or ineffective behaviors. Thus ask 'What worked?' and 'What didn't work so well?'.

Discussion

This approach, as described by Flanaghan (1954) and successfully first used in aviator assessment in the second world war.

It is useful in drawing out realistic detail that you are unlikely to find in a conventional interview. It is also very useful for discovering important skills that are needed.

Its key limitation, of course, is that it depends on the cooperation and memory of the person being interviewed. To gain full collaboration, there may need to be work done with them beforehand to build trust.

See also

Flanaghan, J.C. (1954). ‘The critical incident technique’, Psychological Bulletin, vol. 51, pp327-58

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Site Menu

| Home | Top | Quick Links | Settings |

Main sections: | Disciplines | Techniques | Principles | Explanations | Theories |

Other sections: | Blog! | Quotes | Guest articles | Analysis | Books | Help |

More pages: | Contact | Caveat | About | Students | Webmasters | Awards | Guestbook | Feedback | Sitemap | Changes |

Settings: | Computer layout | Mobile layout | Small font | Medium font | Large font | Translate |

 

 

Please help and share:

 

Quick links

Disciplines

* Argument
* Brand management
* Change Management
* Coaching
* Communication
* Counseling
* Game Design
* Human Resources
* Job-finding
* Leadership
* Marketing
* Politics
* Propaganda
* Rhetoric
* Negotiation
* Psychoanalysis
* Sales
* Sociology
* Storytelling
* Teaching
* Warfare
* Workplace design

Techniques

* Assertiveness
* Body language
* Change techniques
* Closing techniques
* Conversation
* Confidence tricks
* Conversion
* Creative techniques
* General techniques
* Happiness
* Hypnotism
* Interrogation
* Language
* Listening
* Negotiation tactics
* Objection handling
* Propaganda
* Problem-solving
* Public speaking
* Questioning
* Using repetition
* Resisting persuasion
* Self-development
* Sequential requests
* Storytelling
* Stress Management
* Tipping
* Using humor
* Willpower

Principles

+ Principles

Explanations

* Behaviors
* Beliefs
* Brain stuff
* Conditioning
* Coping Mechanisms
* Critical Theory
* Culture
* Decisions
* Emotions
* Evolution
* Gender
* Games
* Groups
* Habit
* Identity
* Learning
* Meaning
* Memory
* Motivation
* Models
* Needs
* Personality
* Power
* Preferences
* Research
* Relationships
* SIFT Model
* Social Research
* Stress
* Trust
* Values

Theories

* Alphabetic list
* Theory types

And

About
Guest Articles
Blog!
Books
Changes
Contact
Guestbook
Quotes
Students
Webmasters

 

| Home | Top | Menu | Quick Links |

© Changing Works 2002-
Massive Content — Maximum Speed