📁 Related References
Here's how to create a critical pathway, illustrated with the simple example of "grilling a steak":
- Define the starting and resulting situation. What outcome is the path meant to produce? Where does the path need to begin?
- Starting situation: raw steak
- Resulting situation: charcoal-grilled steak, medium rare
- Describe the characteristics of the resulting outcome. What has changed between the starting and the resulting situation?
- The steak is:
- Grilled on both sides
- At a temperature of 270° F
- Seasoned with salt and pepper
- Grey towards the borders and pink in the middle
- Served on a plate
- List out the causes of each change. What caused the change to come about?
- Bringing to room temperature and then placing each side on a grill heated (with charcoal) to a temperature of 350° F
- Resting for 25 minutes after grilling
- Marinating with salt half an hour before grilling; seasoning with pepper after resting; basting with butter during grilling
- Grilling for between 5 - 7 minutes on each side
- Placing on a plate after resting
- Order the causes in a logical sequence. What is the sequence in which the changes need to occur?Critical pathway for grilling a steak:
- Marinating the steak with salt
- Letting the steak marinate at room temperature
- Placing charcoal in the grill
- Firing up the charcoal
- Nursing the charcoal to 350° F
- Placing side A of the steak on the grill for 5 minutes
- Basting side A with butter
- Placing side B of the steak on the grill for 5 minutes
- Basting side B with butter
- Removing the steak from the grill
- Placing the steak on a plate to rest
- Seasoning with pepper
- Serving the steak
Note: The critical pathway is just a starting point in Path Design. To fully support this path, each step must be treated as a sub-outcome in itself — changes are made of changes.