Critical incident technique in library and information management research

Abstract

The primary focus of this paper is the application of the Critical Incident Technique in three studies undertaken by researchers in the Department of Information and Communications, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK. These are: a study of staff development needs as a key element in a study of change in Higher Education in the UK; a study of decision-making practices in small to medium-size libraries in Europe (the DECIMAL Project)); and the development of a learning support tool, which was intended to focus on supporting library and information workers moving into management (the LISTEN Project). The origins and method of CIT as described in Flanagan's seminal paper (1954) are outlined. The use of CIT as a qualitative research technique is discussed, with reference to a number of other relevant studies.