Critical Incident Methodology

A critical incident describes a set of circumstances (the “incident”) wherein a conflict or problem arises in a particular setting due to cultural differences between the affected parties, thereby jeopardizing the success or undermining the effectiveness (hence “critical”) of a particular activity or work environment. Critical incident methodology is the use of critical incidents in an education or training setting to enable participants to practice resolving culture-based conflicts. Critical incidents are also used outside the intercultural field, but within the field they are distinguished by the fact that the core problem or conflict, the heart of the incident, is the result of one or more cultural differences.

This entry describes the requirements and types of critical incidents used in training and educational settings. The entry concludes ...