What are Critical Incidents and Case Exercises?
A critical incident is a short description of an even that may be representative of a specific set of behaviors or actions generally undertaken in a specific environment or with an identified group of individuals. Often, a critical incident provides the theme for a broad discussion of similar behaviors/actions and offers an opportunity to apply theories to situations. It can be especially helpful to instructors to have a series of critical incidents on one topic; i.e. interviewing, process flow, corporate social responsibility. Critical incidents serve as the foundation for the brief cases that we find in our textbooks. Like full-length cases, they are factual and use real people, real places, and real events. Like full-length cases, they may be disguised, and they require a release from the protagonist. Critical incidents differ from full cases in more than length, however. Critical incidents do not require a decision; instead, they require an analysis or a discussion. They may requir
