Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Skills

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Finishing School Course Plan ACD2511: Critical Thinking & Problem

Solving Skills

BizMentors Pvt. Ltd.

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7/4/2013 1BizMentors Pvt. Ltd.


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The Objectives of This Session

To provide insights to the participants, about the role of criticalthinking for success in any problem situation.

To expose participants to likely challenges of critical thinking and

problem solving, and help them develop their problem solving skills.

To thereby help participants develop convictions about the

importance of developing into good problem solvers for success.

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Significance of Problem solving - I

Children On A Railway TrackYou are walking along a path running parallel to a railway track,

when you come across some children playing on the tracks.

You notice that its is a live track, with a disused track branching

off from it at a point. The disused track is separated from the

live one by a lever-operated track-change switch. You see that

while most of the children are playing on the disused track,

there is a small, blind boy of around six, who is playing all by

himself on the live track. Suddenly you hear the loud horn and

the thundering sound of an approaching train.

What will you do ?

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Significance of Problem solving - II

Problem solving involves : Holistic understanding of the problem situation.

Gathering input data about the problem.

Analysis.

Solution generation.

Solution selection.

The need to manage conflicting pulls of :

Individual Vs. Team efforts. Conventional Vs. Creative thinking.

Rational analysis Vs. Judgment ( Gut-feel ).

Quantitative Vs. Qualitative data / analysis.

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Definitions - I

What is a problem?

A problem occurs, when there is a difference between

the desired result and the actual result of a

process.

What is problem identification?

Realizingsuch a difference is identification of aproblem. Therefore, problem identification process is

limited by the knowledgeavailable for the process.

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Definitions - II

What is problem selection?

When we have identified a multitude of problems,

all of which cannotbe addressed with the resources

available, we need to prioritizethe problems to be

addressed. What is problem solving?

The process of analyzingthe selected problem to

establish the root cause and then finding the best

way of eliminatingthe same.

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Dos and Donts of problem solving - I

Attitude towards problem solving:

Every problem is a challenge giving rise to an

opportunity.

One should enjoy the thrill of the challenge ratherthan become stressed and look for relief / escape

from it.

Be positive, every challenge will eventually be

overcome if you persevere.

Recognize our jobs / roles exist for solving problems

or overcoming challenges.

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Dos and Donts of problem solving - II

People Focus :

Should be used to find and leverage useful strengths /

aptitudes that match required processes.

Should aim to improve understanding and execution ofprocesses.

Should not be aimed at finding who did it wrong, but

rather, who can do it right.

Objective interactions to keep minimize emotionalconflicts.

Create emotional bonds that removes boundaries of

functional structures.

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Challenges Of Problem Selection

What are the issues at hand ?

Which ones are the most crucial for the long term ?

Which ones are necessary for the medium term ?

Which ones are urgent in the immediate term ? In which cases do we have a choice ?

Which are the forced choices ?

How do we prioritize resource deployment ?

How do we ensure consensus and buy-in by allconcerned while making these choices ?

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Challenges Of Problem solving

How do we ensure consideration of all inputs for thesolving process ?

How do we ensure that the root cause is correctly

determined ?

How do we ensure consideration of all possible solutions?

How do we evaluate probabilities of success or failure of

each component of the solution ?

How do we ensure that no opportunity is lost in forming

the solution ?

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Individual vs. Group Problem Solving

In establishing objectives, groups are probably superior

to individuals because of the greater amount of knowledge

available to groups.

In identifying alternatives, the individual efforts of groupmembers encourage broader searches in various

functional areas of the organization.

In evaluating alternatives, the collective judgment of thegroup, with its wider range of viewpoints, often turn out to

be superior to that of individual decision makers.

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Brainstorming

Pareto chart

Cause& Effect

Run

Histogram & Normal Distribution

Scatter

Control

ProblemIdentification

Problem Solving

Problem Solving tools

Flow Chart

ProblemSelection

5 Whys

QFD

DOE

Check Sheet

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Brainstorming With The Mind-Map Tool

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Documents

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Skills