Critical Incident Technique
Critical Incident Technique
What is it?
· Critical Incident Technique (CIT) is a cognitive task analysis method, developed by Flanagan, through his work with the Aviation Psychology Program of the United States Army Air Forces during WWII. [1]
· CIT is a process of information gathering, in which anecdotes from qualified participants and observers are effectively translated into data. [2]
· It relies on respondents to give their accounts of actions that were taken during the time of a “critical incident.” [1]
· A “critical incident” is defined as an action that contributed to an effective outcome, or an action that contributed to an ineffective outcome. (An action that helped solve a problem, or an action that contributed to a problem.) [1]
· The technique consists of a flexible set of principles that should be appropriately modified according to each situation. [1]
Why is it used?
It is used to identify behaviors that are either essential for or detrimental to job performance. According to Flanagan, data from CIT reports can be used to:
· Develop job descriptions
· Devise training requirements
· Construct measures of typical performance
· Establish criteria for measuring proficiency
· Study operating procedures
· Study leadership & motivation
How is it used?
As summed by Hanson & Brophy, “the interviewer asks the participant to think of a critical incident that determined either the success or failure of a task. This incident then becomes the context of the interview. Once the participant recalls the incident, the interviewer asks questions designed to obtain the desired data.” [3]
Although it is a flexible process, the following are the generally agreed upon steps of CIT:
Identify the general aims, purpose, or research questions on which to focus; plan and specify types of data to be collected; collect data; analyze data; interpret and share findings.
Advantages
Reporting focuses on behaviors, rather than general impressions
Confirmed as a reliable, valid method of data gathering
Results in rich, qualitative data
Can be applied in a variety of settings
Disadvantages
Not effective for analyzing routine occurrences
Relies on respondent memory
Bias towards more recent incidents, due to memory
Real World Example
CIT is often used in the field of health care, and is commonly used as a tool to understand doctor-patient interactions, for example. [3]
Resources
1Flanagan, J. C. (1954a). The critical incident technique. Psychological Bulletin, 51, 327-358. Retrieved from PsycINFO database (PsycLIT 1887-1970, Accession no. 1955-01751- 001)
2FitzGerald, K., Seale, N., Kerins, C., & McElvaney, R. (2008). The critical incident technique: a useful tool for conducting qualitative research. Journal Of Dental Education, 72(3), 299-304.
3 Hanson, J., & Brophy, P. (2012). The Critical Incident Technique: An Effective Tool For Gathering Experience From Practicing Engineers. Advances In Engineering Education,3(1), 1-24.
https://www.apa.org/pubs/databases/psycinfo/critical.aspx
What is it?
· Critical Incident Technique (CIT) is a cognitive task analysis method, developed by Flanagan, through his work with the Aviation Psychology Program of the United States Army Air Forces during WWII. [1]
· CIT is a process of information gathering, in which anecdotes from qualified participants and observers are effectively translated into data. [2]
· It relies on respondents to give their accounts of actions that were taken during the time of a “critical incident.” [1]
· A “critical incident” is defined as an action that contributed to an effective outcome, or an action that contributed to an ineffective outcome. (An action that helped solve a problem, or an action that contributed to a problem.) [1]
· The technique consists of a flexible set of principles that should be appropriately modified according to each situation. [1]
Why is it used?
It is used to identify behaviors that are either essential for or detrimental to job performance. According to Flanagan, data from CIT reports can be used to:
· Develop job descriptions
· Devise training requirements
· Construct measures of typical performance
· Establish criteria for measuring proficiency
· Study operating procedures
· Study leadership & motivation
How is it used?
As summed by Hanson & Brophy, “the interviewer asks the participant to think of a critical incident that determined either the success or failure of a task. This incident then becomes the context of the interview. Once the participant recalls the incident, the interviewer asks questions designed to obtain the desired data.” [3]
Although it is a flexible process, the following are the generally agreed upon steps of CIT:
Identify the general aims, purpose, or research questions on which to focus; plan and specify types of data to be collected; collect data; analyze data; interpret and share findings.
Advantages
Reporting focuses on behaviors, rather than general impressions
Confirmed as a reliable, valid method of data gathering
Results in rich, qualitative data
Can be applied in a variety of settings
Disadvantages
Not effective for analyzing routine occurrences
Relies on respondent memory
Bias towards more recent incidents, due to memory
Real World Example
CIT is often used in the field of health care, and is commonly used as a tool to understand doctor-patient interactions, for example. [3]
Resources
1Flanagan, J. C. (1954a). The critical incident technique. Psychological Bulletin, 51, 327-358. Retrieved from PsycINFO database (PsycLIT 1887-1970, Accession no. 1955-01751- 001)
2FitzGerald, K., Seale, N., Kerins, C., & McElvaney, R. (2008). The critical incident technique: a useful tool for conducting qualitative research. Journal Of Dental Education, 72(3), 299-304.
3 Hanson, J., & Brophy, P. (2012). The Critical Incident Technique: An Effective Tool For Gathering Experience From Practicing Engineers. Advances In Engineering Education,3(1), 1-24.
https://www.apa.org/pubs/databases/psycinfo/critical.aspx