Job Analysis 157
Observation. The analyst observes the incumbent performing the job
and records what he or she sees. This method works primarily for jobs in
which activities or behaviors are readily observable. This method would
not work well for intellectual or cognitive processes.
Diary or log. Employees are asked to keep track of and record their
daily activities and the time they spend on each.
Critical incident technique. Job experts generate a list of good and poor
examples of performance that job incumbents exhibit. The purpose is to
gather information regarding specifi c behaviors that have been observed,
not develop judgmental or trait - oriented descriptions of performance.
These behaviors are then grouped into job dimensions. The fi nal list of job
dimensions and respective critical incidents provides information about a
job and the behaviors associated with success or failure. A critical incident
should possess four characteristics: it should be specifi c , focus on observable
behaviors that have been exhibited on the job, describe the context in which
the behavior occurred, and indicate the consequences of the behavior.
Combination of all methods. Depending on the purpose of the job
analysis and the targeted jobs, it may be necessary to use a combination
of all of the methods introduced here. Not all jobs lend themselves to
observation. Many public and nonprofi t incumbents sit behind desks, use
personal computers, and talk on the telephone. An analyst can observe
those behaviors but will not understand the cognitive processes that
accompany them or the requisite educational requirements and knowl-
edge that may be specifi c to each position.◆◆◆Many organizations have a variety of positions, from very skilled to
nonskilled. For example, a local government may have city planners,
experts in computer applications, budgeting and fi nance personnel, clerk -
typist positions, and groundskeeper and laborer positions. The analyst
may use different methods of data collection for different positions. For
example, the groundskeeper and laborer positions may not require reading
and writing skills. To ask incumbents who may lack those skills to complete
an open - ended written questionnaire may not provide the analyst with
useful information. Instead, interviews and observation might be more
appropriate data-collection techniques. The city planner, however, might
be asked to complete a questionnaire, followed by an interview to clarify
any jargon or statements that the analyst does not understand. A follow - up