Gathering stories in data collection, analysis, and presentation: Power of critical incidents

This presentation will describe the use of the critical incident method in evaluations of training and development programs provided to executives, managers, supervisors, employees, and teams. Russ-Eft will describe experiences of gathering such critical incidents with groups as diverse as factory floor employees, bank managers, human resource managers, and C-level executives. Gathering such critical incidents can lead to the identification of the critical competencies needed for a particular position. That information contributes to the development of training in those competencies. Having delivered that training, the gathering of critical incidents can yield stories demonstrating the use of the trained competencies or failure to use the training on the job. Such results can then serve as the basis for needed improvements in the development efforts.