Critical thinking

Copyright D Gurney 2006

Critical ThinkingAn Introduction to Situation Awareness

and Decision Making

This presentation provides an overview of how to improve situation awareness. It is intended to enhance the reader's understanding, but it shall not supersede the applicable regulations or This presentation provides an overview of how to improve situation awareness. It is intended to enhance the reader's understanding, but it shall not supersede the applicable regulations or

airline's operational documentation; should there be any discrepancy appear between this presentation and the airline’s AFM / (M)MEL / FCOM / QRH / FCTM, the latter shall prevail at all times.airline's operational documentation; should there be any discrepancy appear between this presentation and the airline’s AFM / (M)MEL / FCOM / QRH / FCTM, the latter shall prevail at all times.

Thinking about thinkingThinking about thinking


Introduction

This self-study guide provides advice on how to improve your thinking and introduces the associated aspects of situation awareness and decision making. These activities are essential processes in threat and error management, which must be used in daily operations. Thinking is the core skill in these activities; critical thinking involves controlling your thinking:- thinking about the quality of your thinking.

The guide is in five sections:1. Threat and Error Management2. Situation Awareness3. Decision Making4. Critical Thinking5. Situation Awareness and Decision Making

Speakers notes provide additional information, they can be selected by clicking the right mouse button Speakers notes provide additional information, they can be selected by clicking the right mouse button in Slideshow Viewin Slideshow View, select Screen, select Speakers notes. , select Screen, select Speakers notes.

This presentation can be printed in the notes format to provide a personal reference document.This presentation can be printed in the notes format to provide a personal reference document.

Everyone thinks; it is our nature to do so. But much of our thinking, left to Everyone thinks; it is our nature to do so. But much of our thinking, left to itself, is biased, distorted, partial, uninformed or down-right prejudiced. itself, is biased, distorted, partial, uninformed or down-right prejudiced. Yet the quality of our life and that of what we produce, make, or build Yet the quality of our life and that of what we produce, make, or build depends precisely on the quality of our thought. Poor thinking is costly, depends precisely on the quality of our thought. Poor thinking is costly, both in money and in quality of life. Excellence in thought, however, must both in money and in quality of life. Excellence in thought, however, must be systematically and continuously cultivated.be systematically and continuously cultivated.

Critical Thinking - Situation Awareness and Decision Making


All flight and ground operations

Threat and Error Management

Threat and Error Management (TEM) is a major safety process in aviation.TEM consists of detecting, avoiding or trapping threats and errors that challenge the

safety of flight operations. Where threats and errors are not contained the resulting conditions must be managed and their adverse effects reduced.

PlanePathPeople

Threats Errors Undesired States

DetectAvoid / TrapMitigate

ResistResolveRecover

Fly the aircraft, Navigate, Communicate, Manage

Decision MakingDecision Making

Situation AwarenessSituation Awareness



Situation Awareness

Situation Awareness is having an accurate understanding of your surroundings, where you are, what happened, what is happening, what is changing, why, and what could happen.

Good situation awareness requires:1. Gathering data (sensing, perception), seeking cues in the environment2. Assembling information to give understanding (comprehension)3. and then thinking ahead (projection)

Thinking about situation awareness involves:– directing your attention to seek data; scanning a range of sources – evaluating information without bias, for accuracy and relevance– understanding, using your knowledge and previous experiences– comparing and checking, visualising future events - ‘what if’– planning ahead, considering possible outcomes

PeoplePeople

PathPath

PlanePlane

FutureNowSituation

SCAN

EVALUATE

ANTICIPATE

CONSIDER

PlanningPlanningAheadAhead

Gathering Gathering datadata

UnderstandingUnderstanding



Decision Making

Decision making is about assessment and choosing a course of actionDecision making requires an understanding of the situation and controlled thinking

The situation determines the urgency of the decision, the risks, and actions

Controlled thinking:– Reduces risk– Moderates behaviour– Manages time constraints– Uses knowledge; seeks options– Judges relevance and the quality of the choice– Prepares for action, evaluates the outcome of planned action

O O D AO O D A Observe Orient Deduce Act

D E C I D ED E C I D E Detect a change Estimate significance Choose a safe outcome Identify possible actions Do take action Evaluate the result

5 D5 D Detect Determine Decide Do Discipline

GRADEGRADE Gather Information Review Information Analyse Alternatives Decide Evaluate Outcome of Action

T H I N KT H I N K

Expertise involves knowing how to decide, grade, and think – how to use all of the elementsExpertise involves knowing how to decide, grade, and think – how to use all of the elements



Thinking inside the ‘box’ before you think

outside of the box

Critical Thinking

Critical thinking provides the mental control and discipline required for situation assessment and decision making. It involves several skills; these can be learnt, practiced, and improved.

Control your mind by:– Seeking and understanding information, facts, and data– Effective planning, briefing, and communication– Increasing knowledge; gaining experience– Learning within a situation (context)

Maintain discipline by:– Being aware of how you think; hazardous attitudes– Evaluating your actions; having self regulation– Being aware of all available resources– Being sensitive to feedback

Critical Thinking is the skill of thinking about your thinking

““Are you in charge of your thinking, or is your thinking in charge of you?“Are you in charge of your thinking, or is your thinking in charge of you?“



Critical Thinking - Self awareness

Self awareness - self questioning, self monitoringAm I biased in my thinking

Have I made a plan for what I want to do

Are my ideas or knowledge on this issue correct

Am I aware of my thinking; what am I trying to do

Am I using all of the resources for what I want to do

Am I evaluating my thinking; what I would do differently next time

Am I aware of how well I am doing; do I need to change my actions or intentions

Monitoring Monitoring is checking or testing the accuracy of a situation on a regular

basis. It is keeping a close watch over parameters

and supervising the outcome of planned action.

It is checking for threats and errors in our thinking



Critical Thinking - Knowledge

Improving your thinking with Knowledge Knowledge of Yourself

– A Commitment to safety, not following feelings or preference– Positive Attitudes, persistence, resourcefulness, learning from failure– Attention to detail and seeing the big picture; determining relevance, assessing risk

Knowledge about the Thinking Processes– Knowing the facts necessary to do a task by seeking information– Knowing how to do a task, how to scan, understand, and think ahead– Knowing why certain strategies work, when to use them, why one is better than another

Knowledge to control your Thinking– Self evaluation, assessing current technical knowledge, setting objectives, selecting resources– Self regulation, checking progress; reviewing choices, procedures, and objectives– Planning, choosing and evaluating a path to the objective

Planning is the process of thinking about what you will do in the event of something happening or not

happening



Critical Thinking - Behaviour

Improving your thinking by changing behaviourChanging your thinking habit requires effort; clear thinking is an essential part of airmanship, which has to be developed throughout your career.

Basic training only provides those skills necessary to be safe.

Safe: Continuation training and experience enables an effective operation.

Effective: More technical knowledge, practiced skills, and more experience leads to an efficient operation.

Efficient: Skilful command in controlling the aircraft and team leadership adds experience and moves towards an expert operation.

Expert: An operator who has gained and who maintains a high standard of technical and non-technical skills as a result of great personal effort.

Expert thinkersExpert thinkersFocus on relevant issuesFocus on relevant issuesIdentify essential informationIdentify essential informationConsider information on meritConsider information on meritTest and check the basis of their awareness and decisionsTest and check the basis of their awareness and decisions



Critical Thinking - Personal Briefing

Improving your thinking - BriefingBefore flight, self briefing reinforces memory cues and knowledge, these aid the recall

of information for use in situation assessment and decision making.

Know on what, who, where, and when to prioritise your attentionAlways brief routine operations – repetition aids memoryStructure the briefing along the intended flight pathVisualise your actions (plane, path, people)Consider the significant threatsRecall lessons from trainingRefresh SOPsQuestions

Do not rush: Do not rush: Your thoughts control your actionsYour thoughts control your actions



Critical Thinking - Personal Debrief

Improving your thinking - Debrief After each flight consider the following points; Plus, Minus, Interesting (PMI)

Plus:-What was goodWhat went according to plan

Minus:-What was not so good, and why

What didn’t you know, find the answer before the next flight Interesting:-

Have you changed the way in which you see things; threats, risks, people or proceduresWhat did you learn, why, and where did the information come from

Will you share this with others, if not why notAnything for a safety event report (ASR)Any issues for confidential reporting

Did you experience:- High workloadPoor attitudesBiased opinionsMismanaged timeUnanswered questions

PlusPlusMinusMinus

InterestingInteresting

DebriefingDebriefing



All flight and ground operations

Thinking about Situation Awareness and Decision Making

Situation Awareness and Decision Making depend on our ability to think.

Thinking enables humans to be very successful, but this ability also enables errors, which if not controlled increase the risks in our daily activities.

Action

Monitor

Feedback

Review

ResponseDecision MakingDecision Making

SituationSituation

AwarenessAwareness

Working memoryLong term memory - knowledge, bias, beliefs

Pattern recognitionComparison

ChoiceSelection

Senses:

See

Hear

Touch

Smell

Taste

Value your ability, use it wiselyValue your ability, use it wiselyThreats Errors Undesired States



Critical Thinking - for Situation Awareness

Critical thinking for Situation Awareness – seeking informationEssential components:

– Accuracy; is the information true– Clarity; is the information understood– Precision; seek detail to understand the situation– Relevance; is the information connected to the situation– Depth; does the information address the complexity of the situation– Breadth; are there other points of view or other ways to consider this situation – Logic; does your understanding of the situation make sense

Whenever you don’t understand something, ask yourself a question for clarification

?



Critical Thinking - for Decision Making

Critical thinking for Decision Making – the choice of actionEssential components:

– What are the immediate risks– What is the time available for the decision– State the objective of the decision to be made– Identify information to be used in making the decision– Gather the evidence and information required to make a decision– Make a decision based on criteria (a safe outcome), information, and risks– Ask, what does the evidence and information mean considering the objective?

Routine

Trained For

Unusual Novel

Situation

KnowledgKnowledgee

SkillSkill

RulesRules

Needs

Uses

Requires

Almost automatic action; actions have been thought-through during training

Think about which action applies to the situation, compare with training

Think about the situation, compare with standard actions, training, and previous experience



Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is at the centre of all safety processes and human activity.

Threat and ErrorThreat and Error ManagementManagement

Decision Decision Making Making

SituationSituationAwarenessAwareness

Critical ThinkingCritical Thinking

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Critical thinking