A method of characterizing phase transformations of a shape memory material specimen entails recording data from the specimen during heating and cooling. The temperature of the specimen is changed in a first direction to a first temperature sufficient to define a first inflection and a second inflection in the data being recorded. The temperature of the specimen is changed in a second direction to a second temperature sufficient to define a third inflection in the data. The third inflection is formed by overlapping primary and secondary sub-inflections. The temperature of the specimen is changed in the first direction to a third temperature sufficient to define the first inflection but not sufficient to define the second inflection. The temperature of the specimen is then changed in the second direction to a fourth temperature sufficient to define the secondary sub-inflection in the data being recorded.