Critical Examination

Introduction

Critical Examination Technique as a tried and tested method of analysing an organisation or system.

It is the systematic analysis of information about a problem, procedure or activity by which it is subjected to exhaustive challenge, with regard to need, simplification, combination, sequence and alternatives. Its aim is to determine the valid reasons for each activity, and to draw up systematically a list of alternatives which can be developed into a new and improved method.

Critical examination of policies, objectives and activities helps the team leader to challenge what is happening now, accepted policies and objectives, how work is carried out, the timing and sequence of activities and so on. It has long been part of the ‘tool kit’ of the management consultant.

The Technique

In order to ensure that critical examination of all appropriate functions is carried out, a structured approach in applying the technique can be used. This requires the consultant to ask a series of specific questions of relevant activities, objectives and policies depending on the level at which the investigation is being conducted. The questions are as follows:

What is being done?
How is it being done?
Where is it being done? I Why?
When is it being done?
Who is doing it?

As this suggests, the question "why?" is asked of the responses to the other questions; this is the validation of the answers.

The first question is always "what?". It is crucial when answering this question that care is taken to state exactly what is achieved and not be confused by describing how something is done. This appears an obvious statement but is very easy to fall into this trap. The reason for first asking what is achieved is that if the activity is not validated- by the response to the subsequent question ‘why?’ - ten the indications are that the activity need not be carried out at all. In such circumstances the subsequent questions are unnecessary.

Assuming the activity is satisfactorily validated, the remaining primary questions are asked - each response being challenged by the question ‘why?’ and validated or otherwise by the answers. If all responses to the question ‘why?’ are satisfactory, this does not necessarily mean that the situation should remain unchanged. It simply means that some activity is necessary and that it should be carried out somehow, at some dine, in some place and by someone.

In adopting the structured approach to critical examination, further searching questions are then posed:

What else could be done?
How else might it be done?
Where else might it be done?
When else might it be done?
Who else might do it?

Alternatives are being consistently sought. In doing so, the consultant must guard against assuming that a better, alternative situation must in some way conform to what is happening now. In attempting to generate alternatives by answering the questions above, the consultant is not necessarily challenging the correctness of the present situation; what is being challenged is its uniqueness.

Below is a Critical Examination sheet which sets out the questions in tabular form for easy reference and analysis.

Purpose	WHAT is achieved? WHY?	Is it NECESSARY?	What else COULD be done?	What Should be done?
Place	WHERE is it done?	WHY there?	Where else Could it be done?	Where Should it be done?
Sequence	WHEN is it done?	WHY then?	When else COULD it be done?	When SHOULD it be done?
Person	WHO does it?	WHY that person?	Who else COULD do it?	Who SHOULD do it?
Means	HOW is it done?	WHY that way?	How else COULD it be done?	How SHOULD it be done?