Critical Incident

Method
P E R FOR MANCE A P P R AISAL

MA LAHAT F U A D S I D D I QUI
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Contents
• Definition of Critical Incident Method
• Purpose
• Uses
• 3-step procedure
• Advantages & Disadvantages
Definition
• Critical incident method or critical incident technique
is a performance appraisal tool which analyses the
behavior of employee in certain events in which either
he performed very well and the ones in which he
could have done better.
• Critical incident technique is used to collect data using
a set of procedures. In critical incident method the
observer observes critical human behaviors, skills
used, incidents that occur on the job.
 Conti…
• Subjective in Nature
• Analyze critical behaviors of employees such as the
reaction of employee to a certain situation.
• the performance is evaluated against a list of critical
behaviors.
• It helps to define the competencies and Knowledge,
Skills, Abilities required for a task or set of tasks that
entails a job.
Purpose of Critical Incident
Technique
• gather information on behaviors that contributes to the
success or demise of performance.
• Identify tasks or behaviors that lead to ineffective job
performance;
• Identify tasks or behaviors that lead to effective job
performance;
• Uncover overall skills, attitudes, knowledge or values that
contribute to effective or ineffective job performance
Examples:
• It is an interview being taken of the incumbent
of the job to know the facts of the job.
• The interviewer should try to extract data
related to description and outcome of the
critical incident, the feelings, perceptions and
thoughts that the person had at the time of the
incident.
• The actions that were taken during the incident
and what changes should be undertaken next
time this incident takes place.
Conti…
When to use the Critical Incident Technique?

• When there is a need for qualitative

data.
• When behaviors are observable.
• When there are “critical behaviors of
jobs and tasks that allow a high degree
of individuality.
3 step process:

Step 2
grading
• List of worthy on • a check-list indicating
• They assign incidents that describe
job behaviors of
weightage or score workers as “good” or
specific
to these incidents “bad” is constructed.
incidents
depending upon
their degree of
Step 1- desirability to Step 3
perform a job.
identification checklist
Advantages of Critical Incident Technique
• A few advantages of critical incident method are:
• 1. Helps to identify rare events which might be
missed by other methods as they focus only on
common events.
• 2. The technique is cost effective and provides rich
information
• 3. The respondent’s perspective is taken into account
• 4. The respondents are not forced into any
framework
• 5. Many ways to implement the technique like
observation, questionnaires and interviews
Disadvantages of Critical Incident Technique

• 1. Many incidents may go unreported or might

not be precise as the reporting of incidents relies
on memory of the respondent.
• 2. Biasness might creep in towards the incidents
that happened recently.
• 3. The incidents narrated may not be
representative of everyday situation that takes
place during the job.