Critical windows in emergency medicineIllustration of a short gamma-ray burst, atransient astronomical event caused by a collapsing star[1]
Awindow of opportunity, also called amargin of opportunity orcritical window, is a period of time during which some action can be taken that will achieve a desired outcome. Once this period is over, or the "window is closed", the specified outcome is no longer possible.[2]
Thegolden hour or golden time, used inemergency medicine to describe the period following traumatic injury in which life-saving treatment is most likely to be successful[4]
Market opportunities, in which one may be positioned to take advantage of a gap in a particularmarket,[5][6] the timing of which may depend on the activities of customers, competitors, and other market context factors[7]
Limited time offer, a critical window for consumers that is artificially imposed (or even falsely implied) as amarketing tactic to encourage action[8]
The timing and length of a critical window may be well known and predictable (as inplanetary transits) or more poorly understood (as in medical emergencies orclimate change). In some cases, there may be multiple windows during which a goal can be achieved, as in the case of space launch windows.
In situations with very brief or unpredictable windows of opportunity,automation may be employed to take advantage of these windows, as in automated processing of financial transactions[14] andtime-domain astronomy.[15] Real-time computing systems can guarantee responses on the order of milliseconds or less.[16]
In some time-critical situations, failure to act may entail an increasing cost over time, or a decreasing probability over time of achieving the desired outcome. Inreal-time computing systems, this may be represented bytime-utility functions.
^Robson, Ann L. "Critical/Sensitive Periods." Child Development. Ed. Neil J. Salkind. New York: Macmillan Reference USA, 2002. 101-103. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 10 Dec. 2014.
^American College of Surgeons (2008).Atls, Advanced Trauma Life Support Program for Doctors. Amer College of Surgeons.ISBN978-1880696316.
^Sull, Donald N.; Wang, Yong (June 6, 2005)."The Three Windows of Opportunity".Working Knowledge. Harvard Business School. Archived fromthe original on 25 April 2016. Retrieved25 April 2016.
^Heiney, Anna (February 23, 2012). Ryba, Jeanne (ed.)."Aiming for an Open Window".NASA.gov. NASA Kennedy Space Center. Archived fromthe original on 19 April 2016. Retrieved22 April 2016.
