Incident-Based Methods for Studying Expertise
Laura G. Militello, Shilo H. Anders · Oxford University Press eBooks · 2019
Abstract Incident-based interview methods are powerful tools for studying expertise in context. They provide insight into expert cognition that cannot be obtained with other methods. They complement performance measures that show what an expert can do, by providing insight into what is going on in the interviewee’s head. These methods facilitate description of expertise in the context of work and aid in developing testable hypotheses. They can be used to uncover cognitive requirements to support acquisition of skill via decision support design and training. Findings can also be used to inform the design of tools to support expertise and descriptive models to inform basic research. This chapter discusses four types of incident-based interview methods, examines analysis strategies, and provides examples of products resulting from this type of research and their influence on applications. Practical issues associated with the use of incident-based interview methods are considered, and future directions are discussed.