CRITICAL DECISION
METHOD

 

In 1988, Gary and colleagues Roberta Calderwood and Anne Clinton-Cirocco developed a new method of knowledge elicitation, the Critical Decision Method (CDM), as part of a project with fire ground commanders for the U.S. Army Research Institute.

 

The CDM is a retrospective interview strategy that applies a set of cognitive probes to actual, non-routine events that require expert decision-making. Once an incident is selected, the interviewer uses a semi-structured format to probe different aspects of the decision making process. 

 

The CDM has been used widely to elicit expertise in domains including healthcare, military, emergency response, and more.

 

For additional reading on the CDM, click here.