apply critical thinking skills to workplace problems

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How to build critical thinking skills for better decision-making

It’s simple in theory, but tougher in practice – here are five tips to get you started.

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Have you heard the riddle about two coins that equal thirty cents, but one of them is not a nickel? What about the one where a surgeon says they can’t operate on their own son?

Those brain teasers tap into your critical thinking skills. But your ability to think critically isn’t just helpful for solving those random puzzles – it plays a big role in your career. 

An impressive 81% of employers say critical thinking carries a lot of weight when they’re evaluating job candidates. It ranks as the top competency companies consider when hiring recent graduates (even ahead of communication ). Plus, once you’re hired, several studies show that critical thinking skills are highly correlated with better job performance.

So what exactly are critical thinking skills? And even more importantly, how do you build and improve them? 

What is critical thinking?

Critical thinking is the ability to evaluate facts and information, remain objective, and make a sound decision about how to move forward.

Does that sound like how you approach every decision or problem? Not so fast. Critical thinking seems simple in theory but is much tougher in practice, which helps explain why 65% of employers say their organization has a need for more critical thinking. 

In reality, critical thinking doesn’t come naturally to a lot of us. In order to do it well, you need to:

• Remain open-minded and inquisitive, rather than relying on assumptions or jumping to conclusions
• Ask questions and dig deep, rather than accepting information at face value
• Keep your own biases and perceptions in check to stay as objective as possible
• Rely on your emotional intelligence to fill in the blanks and gain a more well-rounded understanding of a situation

So, critical thinking isn’t just being intelligent or analytical. In many ways, it requires you to step outside of yourself, let go of your own preconceived notions, and approach a problem or situation with curiosity and fairness.

It’s a challenge, but it’s well worth it. Critical thinking skills will help you connect ideas, make reasonable decisions, and solve complex problems.

7 critical thinking skills to help you dig deeper

Critical thinking is often labeled as a skill itself (you’ll see it bulleted as a desired trait in a variety of job descriptions). But it’s better to think of critical thinking less as a distinct skill and more as a collection or category of skills. 

To think critically, you’ll need to tap into a bunch of your other soft skills. Here are seven of the most important. 

Open-mindedness

It’s important to kick off the critical thinking process with the idea that anything is possible. The more you’re able to set aside your own suspicions, beliefs, and agenda, the better prepared you are to approach the situation with the level of inquisitiveness you need. 

That means not closing yourself off to any possibilities and allowing yourself the space to pull on every thread – yes, even the ones that seem totally implausible.

As Christopher Dwyer, Ph.D. writes in a piece for Psychology Today , “Even if an idea appears foolish, sometimes its consideration can lead to an intelligent, critically considered conclusion.” He goes on to compare the critical thinking process to brainstorming . Sometimes the “bad” ideas are what lay the foundation for the good ones. 

Open-mindedness is challenging because it requires more effort and mental bandwidth than sticking with your own perceptions. Approaching problems or situations with true impartiality often means:

• Practicing self-regulation : Giving yourself a pause between when you feel something and when you actually react or take action.
• Challenging your own biases: Acknowledging your biases and seeking feedback are two powerful ways to get a broader understanding. 

Critical thinking example

In a team meeting, your boss mentioned that your company newsletter signups have been decreasing and she wants to figure out why.

At first, you feel offended and defensive – it feels like she’s blaming you for the dip in subscribers. You recognize and rationalize that emotion before thinking about potential causes. You have a hunch about what’s happening, but you will explore all possibilities and contributions from your team members.

Observation

Observation is, of course, your ability to notice and process the details all around you (even the subtle or seemingly inconsequential ones). Critical thinking demands that you’re flexible and willing to go beyond surface-level information, and solid observation skills help you do that.

Your observations help you pick up on clues from a variety of sources and experiences, all of which help you draw a final conclusion. After all, sometimes it’s the most minuscule realization that leads you to the strongest conclusion.

Over the next week or so, you keep a close eye on your company’s website and newsletter analytics to see if numbers are in fact declining or if your boss’s concerns were just a fluke. 

Critical thinking hinges on objectivity. And, to be objective, you need to base your judgments on the facts – which you collect through research. You’ll lean on your research skills to gather as much information as possible that’s relevant to your problem or situation. 

Keep in mind that this isn’t just about the quantity of information – quality matters too. You want to find data and details from a variety of trusted sources to drill past the surface and build a deeper understanding of what’s happening. 

You dig into your email and website analytics to identify trends in bounce rates, time on page, conversions, and more. You also review recent newsletters and email promotions to understand what customers have received, look through current customer feedback, and connect with your customer support team to learn what they’re hearing in their conversations with customers.

The critical thinking process is sort of like a treasure hunt – you’ll find some nuggets that are fundamental for your final conclusion and some that might be interesting but aren’t pertinent to the problem at hand.

That’s why you need analytical skills. They’re what help you separate the wheat from the chaff, prioritize information, identify trends or themes, and draw conclusions based on the most relevant and influential facts. 

It’s easy to confuse analytical thinking with critical thinking itself, and it’s true there is a lot of overlap between the two. But analytical thinking is just a piece of critical thinking. It focuses strictly on the facts and data, while critical thinking incorporates other factors like emotions, opinions, and experiences. 

As you analyze your research, you notice that one specific webpage has contributed to a significant decline in newsletter signups. While all of the other sources have stayed fairly steady with regard to conversions, that one has sharply decreased.

You decide to move on from your other hypotheses about newsletter quality and dig deeper into the analytics. 

One of the traps of critical thinking is that it’s easy to feel like you’re never done. There’s always more information you could collect and more rabbit holes you could fall down.

But at some point, you need to accept that you’ve done your due diligence and make a decision about how to move forward. That’s where inference comes in. It’s your ability to look at the evidence and facts available to you and draw an informed conclusion based on those. 

When you’re so focused on staying objective and pursuing all possibilities, inference can feel like the antithesis of critical thinking. But ultimately, it’s your inference skills that allow you to move out of the thinking process and onto the action steps. 

You dig deeper into the analytics for the page that hasn’t been converting and notice that the sharp drop-off happened around the same time you switched email providers.

After looking more into the backend, you realize that the signup form on that page isn’t correctly connected to your newsletter platform. It seems like anybody who has signed up on that page hasn’t been fed to your email list. 

Communication

3 ways to improve your communication skills at work

If and when you identify a solution or answer, you can’t keep it close to the vest. You’ll need to use your communication skills to share your findings with the relevant stakeholders – like your boss, team members, or anybody who needs to be involved in the next steps.

Your analysis skills will come in handy here too, as they’ll help you determine what information other people need to know so you can avoid bogging them down with unnecessary details. 

In your next team meeting, you pull up the analytics and show your team the sharp drop-off as well as the missing connection between that page and your email platform. You ask the web team to reinstall and double-check that connection and you also ask a member of the marketing team to draft an apology email to the subscribers who were missed. 

Problem-solving

Critical thinking and problem-solving are two more terms that are frequently confused. After all, when you think critically, you’re often doing so with the objective of solving a problem.

The best way to understand how problem-solving and critical thinking differ is to think of problem-solving as much more narrow. You’re focused on finding a solution.

In contrast, you can use critical thinking for a variety of use cases beyond solving a problem – like answering questions or identifying opportunities for improvement. Even so, within the critical thinking process, you’ll flex your problem-solving skills when it comes time to take action. 

Once the fix is implemented, you monitor the analytics to see if subscribers continue to increase. If not (or if they increase at a slower rate than you anticipated), you’ll roll out some other tests like changing the CTA language or the placement of the subscribe form on the page.

5 ways to improve your critical thinking skills

Beyond the buzzwords: Why interpersonal skills matter at work

Think critically about critical thinking and you’ll quickly realize that it’s not as instinctive as you’d like it to be. Fortunately, your critical thinking skills are learned competencies and not inherent gifts – and that means you can improve them. Here’s how:

• Practice active listening: Active listening helps you process and understand what other people share. That’s crucial as you aim to be open-minded and inquisitive.
• Ask open-ended questions: If your critical thinking process involves collecting feedback and opinions from others, ask open-ended questions (meaning, questions that can’t be answered with “yes” or “no”). Doing so will give you more valuable information and also prevent your own biases from influencing people’s input.
• Scrutinize your sources: Figuring out what to trust and prioritize is crucial for critical thinking. Boosting your media literacy and asking more questions will help you be more discerning about what to factor in. It’s hard to strike a balance between skepticism and open-mindedness, but approaching information with questions (rather than unquestioning trust) will help you draw better conclusions. 
• Play a game: Remember those riddles we mentioned at the beginning? As trivial as they might seem, games and exercises like those can help you boost your critical thinking skills. There are plenty of critical thinking exercises you can do individually or as a team . 
• Give yourself time: Research shows that rushed decisions are often regrettable ones. That’s likely because critical thinking takes time – you can’t do it under the wire. So, for big decisions or hairy problems, give yourself enough time and breathing room to work through the process. It’s hard enough to think critically without a countdown ticking in your brain. 

Critical thinking really is critical

The ability to think critically is important, but it doesn’t come naturally to most of us. It’s just easier to stick with biases, assumptions, and surface-level information. 

But that route often leads you to rash judgments, shaky conclusions, and disappointing decisions. So here’s a conclusion we can draw without any more noodling: Even if it is more demanding on your mental resources, critical thinking is well worth the effort.

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A Short Guide to Building Your Team’s Critical Thinking Skills

• Matt Plummer

Critical thinking isn’t an innate skill. It can be learned.

Most employers lack an effective way to objectively assess critical thinking skills and most managers don’t know how to provide specific instruction to team members in need of becoming better thinkers. Instead, most managers employ a sink-or-swim approach, ultimately creating work-arounds to keep those who can’t figure out how to “swim” from making important decisions. But it doesn’t have to be this way. To demystify what critical thinking is and how it is developed, the author’s team turned to three research-backed models: The Halpern Critical Thinking Assessment, Pearson’s RED Critical Thinking Model, and Bloom’s Taxonomy. Using these models, they developed the Critical Thinking Roadmap, a framework that breaks critical thinking down into four measurable phases: the ability to execute, synthesize, recommend, and generate.

With critical thinking ranking among the most in-demand skills for job candidates , you would think that educational institutions would prepare candidates well to be exceptional thinkers, and employers would be adept at developing such skills in existing employees. Unfortunately, both are largely untrue.

• Matt Plummer (@mtplummer) is the founder of Zarvana, which offers online programs and coaching services to help working professionals become more productive by developing time-saving habits. Before starting Zarvana, Matt spent six years at Bain & Company spin-out, The Bridgespan Group, a strategy and management consulting firm for nonprofits, foundations, and philanthropists.  

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Article • 8 min read

Critical Thinking

Developing the right mindset and skills.

By the Mind Tools Content Team

We make hundreds of decisions every day and, whether we realize it or not, we're all critical thinkers.

We use critical thinking each time we weigh up our options, prioritize our responsibilities, or think about the likely effects of our actions. It's a crucial skill that helps us to cut out misinformation and make wise decisions. The trouble is, we're not always very good at it!

In this article, we'll explore the key skills that you need to develop your critical thinking skills, and how to adopt a critical thinking mindset, so that you can make well-informed decisions.

What Is Critical Thinking?

Critical thinking is the discipline of rigorously and skillfully using information, experience, observation, and reasoning to guide your decisions, actions, and beliefs. You'll need to actively question every step of your thinking process to do it well.

Collecting, analyzing and evaluating information is an important skill in life, and a highly valued asset in the workplace. People who score highly in critical thinking assessments are also rated by their managers as having good problem-solving skills, creativity, strong decision-making skills, and good overall performance. [1]

Key Critical Thinking Skills

Critical thinkers possess a set of key characteristics which help them to question information and their own thinking. Focus on the following areas to develop your critical thinking skills:

Being willing and able to explore alternative approaches and experimental ideas is crucial. Can you think through "what if" scenarios, create plausible options, and test out your theories? If not, you'll tend to write off ideas and options too soon, so you may miss the best answer to your situation.

To nurture your curiosity, stay up to date with facts and trends. You'll overlook important information if you allow yourself to become "blinkered," so always be open to new information.

But don't stop there! Look for opposing views or evidence to challenge your information, and seek clarification when things are unclear. This will help you to reassess your beliefs and make a well-informed decision later. Read our article, Opening Closed Minds , for more ways to stay receptive.

Logical Thinking

You must be skilled at reasoning and extending logic to come up with plausible options or outcomes.

It's also important to emphasize logic over emotion. Emotion can be motivating but it can also lead you to take hasty and unwise action, so control your emotions and be cautious in your judgments. Know when a conclusion is "fact" and when it is not. "Could-be-true" conclusions are based on assumptions and must be tested further. Read our article, Logical Fallacies , for help with this.

Use creative problem solving to balance cold logic. By thinking outside of the box you can identify new possible outcomes by using pieces of information that you already have.

Self-Awareness

Many of the decisions we make in life are subtly informed by our values and beliefs. These influences are called cognitive biases and it can be difficult to identify them in ourselves because they're often subconscious.

Practicing self-awareness will allow you to reflect on the beliefs you have and the choices you make. You'll then be better equipped to challenge your own thinking and make improved, unbiased decisions.

One particularly useful tool for critical thinking is the Ladder of Inference . It allows you to test and validate your thinking process, rather than jumping to poorly supported conclusions.

Developing a Critical Thinking Mindset

Combine the above skills with the right mindset so that you can make better decisions and adopt more effective courses of action. You can develop your critical thinking mindset by following this process:

Gather Information

First, collect data, opinions and facts on the issue that you need to solve. Draw on what you already know, and turn to new sources of information to help inform your understanding. Consider what gaps there are in your knowledge and seek to fill them. And look for information that challenges your assumptions and beliefs.

Be sure to verify the authority and authenticity of your sources. Not everything you read is true! Use this checklist to ensure that your information is valid:

• Are your information sources trustworthy ? (For example, well-respected authors, trusted colleagues or peers, recognized industry publications, websites, blogs, etc.)
• Is the information you have gathered up to date ?
• Has the information received any direct criticism ?
• Does the information have any errors or inaccuracies ?
• Is there any evidence to support or corroborate the information you have gathered?
• Is the information you have gathered subjective or biased in any way? (For example, is it based on opinion, rather than fact? Is any of the information you have gathered designed to promote a particular service or organization?)

If any information appears to be irrelevant or invalid, don't include it in your decision making. But don't omit information just because you disagree with it, or your final decision will be flawed and bias.

Now observe the information you have gathered, and interpret it. What are the key findings and main takeaways? What does the evidence point to? Start to build one or two possible arguments based on what you have found.

You'll need to look for the details within the mass of information, so use your powers of observation to identify any patterns or similarities. You can then analyze and extend these trends to make sensible predictions about the future.

To help you to sift through the multiple ideas and theories, it can be useful to group and order items according to their characteristics. From here, you can compare and contrast the different items. And once you've determined how similar or different things are from one another, Paired Comparison Analysis can help you to analyze them.

The final step involves challenging the information and rationalizing its arguments.

Apply the laws of reason (induction, deduction, analogy) to judge an argument and determine its merits. To do this, it's essential that you can determine the significance and validity of an argument to put it in the correct perspective. Take a look at our article, Rational Thinking , for more information about how to do this.

Once you have considered all of the arguments and options rationally, you can finally make an informed decision.

Afterward, take time to reflect on what you have learned and what you found challenging. Step back from the detail of your decision or problem, and look at the bigger picture. Record what you've learned from your observations and experience.

Critical thinking involves rigorously and skilfully using information, experience, observation, and reasoning to guide your decisions, actions and beliefs. It's a useful skill in the workplace and in life.

You'll need to be curious and creative to explore alternative possibilities, but rational to apply logic, and self-aware to identify when your beliefs could affect your decisions or actions.

You can demonstrate a high level of critical thinking by validating your information, analyzing its meaning, and finally evaluating the argument.

Critical Thinking Infographic

See Critical Thinking represented in our infographic: An Elementary Guide to Critical Thinking .

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How to build your critical thinking skills in 7 steps (with examples)

Critical thinking is, well, critical. By building these skills, you improve your ability to analyze information and come to the best decision possible. In this article, we cover the basics of critical thinking, as well as the seven steps you can use to implement the full critical thinking process. 

Critical thinking comes from asking the right questions to come to the best conclusion possible. Strong critical thinkers analyze information from a variety of viewpoints in order to identify the best course of action.

Don’t worry if you don’t think you have strong critical thinking abilities. In this article, we’ll help you build a foundation for critical thinking so you can absorb, analyze, and make informed decisions. 

What is critical thinking? 

Critical thinking is the ability to collect and analyze information to come to a conclusion. Being able to think critically is important in virtually every industry and applicable across a wide range of positions. That’s because critical thinking isn’t subject-specific—rather, it’s your ability to parse through information, data, statistics, and other details in order to identify a satisfactory solution. 

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Top 8 critical thinking skills

Like most soft skills, critical thinking isn’t something you can take a class to learn. Rather, this skill consists of a variety of interpersonal and analytical skills. Developing critical thinking is more about learning to embrace open-mindedness and bringing analytical thinking to your problem framing process. 

In no particular order, the eight most important critical thinking skills are:

Analytical thinking: Part of critical thinking is evaluating data from multiple sources in order to come to the best conclusions. Analytical thinking allows people to reject bias and strive to gather and consume information to come to the best conclusion. 

Open-mindedness: This critical thinking skill helps you analyze and process information to come to an unbiased conclusion. Part of the critical thinking process is letting your personal biases go and coming to a conclusion based on all of the information. 

Problem solving : Because critical thinking emphasizes coming to the best conclusion based on all of the available information, it’s a key part of problem solving. When used correctly, critical thinking helps you solve any problem—from a workplace challenge to difficulties in everyday life. 

Self-regulation: Self-regulation refers to the ability to regulate your thoughts and set aside any personal biases to come to the best conclusion. In order to be an effective critical thinker, you need to question the information you have and the decisions you favor—only then can you come to the best conclusion. 

Observation: Observation skills help critical thinkers look for things beyond face value. To be a critical thinker you need to embrace multiple points of view, and you can use observation skills to identify potential problems.

Interpretation: Not all data is made equal—and critical thinkers know this. In addition to gathering information, it’s important to evaluate which information is important and relevant to your situation. That way, you can draw the best conclusions from the data you’ve collected. 

Evaluation: When you attempt to answer a hard question, there is rarely an obvious answer. Even though critical thinking emphasizes putting your biases aside, you need to be able to confidently make a decision based on the data you have available. 

Communication: Once a decision has been made, you also need to share this decision with other stakeholders. Effective workplace communication includes presenting evidence and supporting your conclusion—especially if there are a variety of different possible solutions. 

7 steps to critical thinking

Critical thinking is a skill that you can build by following these seven steps. The seven steps to critical thinking help you ensure you’re approaching a problem from the right angle, considering every alternative, and coming to an unbiased conclusion.

 First things first: When to use the 7 step critical thinking process

There’s a lot that goes into the full critical thinking process, and not every decision needs to be this thought out. Sometimes, it’s enough to put aside bias and approach a process logically. In other, more complex cases, the best way to identify the ideal outcome is to go through the entire critical thinking process. 

The seven-step critical thinking process is useful for complex decisions in areas you are less familiar with. Alternatively, the seven critical thinking steps can help you look at a problem you’re familiar with from a different angle, without any bias. 

If you need to make a less complex decision, consider another problem solving strategy instead. Decision matrices are a great way to identify the best option between different choices. Check out our article on 7 steps to creating a decision matrix .

1. Identify the problem

Before you put those critical thinking skills to work, you first need to identify the problem you’re solving. This step includes taking a look at the problem from a few different perspectives and asking questions like: 

What’s happening? 

Why is this happening? 

What assumptions am I making? 

At first glance, how do I think we can solve this problem? 

A big part of developing your critical thinking skills is learning how to come to unbiased conclusions. In order to do that, you first need to acknowledge the biases that you currently have. Does someone on your team think they know the answer? Are you making assumptions that aren’t necessarily true? Identifying these details helps you later on in the process. 

2. Research

At this point, you likely have a general idea of the problem—but in order to come up with the best solution, you need to dig deeper. 

During the research process, collect information relating to the problem, including data, statistics, historical project information, team input, and more. Make sure you gather information from a variety of sources, especially if those sources go against your personal ideas about what the problem is or how to solve it.

Gathering varied information is essential for your ability to apply the critical thinking process. If you don’t get enough information, your ability to make a final decision will be skewed. Remember that critical thinking is about helping you identify the objective best conclusion. You aren’t going with your gut—you’re doing research to find the best option

3. Determine data relevance

Just as it’s important to gather a variety of information, it is also important to determine how relevant the different information sources are. After all, just because there is data doesn’t mean it’s relevant. 

Once you’ve gathered all of the information, sift through the noise and identify what information is relevant and what information isn’t. Synthesizing all of this information and establishing significance helps you weigh different data sources and come to the best conclusion later on in the critical thinking process. 

To determine data relevance, ask yourself:

How reliable is this information? 

How significant is this information? 

Is this information outdated? Is it specialized in a specific field? 

4. Ask questions

One of the most useful parts of the critical thinking process is coming to a decision without bias. In order to do so, you need to take a step back from the process and challenge the assumptions you’re making. 

We all have bias—and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Unconscious biases (also known as cognitive biases) often serve as mental shortcuts to simplify problem solving and aid decision making. But even when biases aren’t inherently bad, you must be aware of your biases in order to put them aside when necessary. 

Before coming to a solution, ask yourself:

Am I making any assumptions about this information? 

Are there additional variables I haven’t considered? 

Have I evaluated the information from every perspective? 

Are there any viewpoints I missed? 

5. Identify the best solution

Finally, you’re ready to come to a conclusion. To identify the best solution, draw connections between causes and effects. Use the facts you’ve gathered to evaluate the most objective conclusion. 

Keep in mind that there may be more than one solution. Often, the problems you’re facing are complex and intricate. The critical thinking process doesn’t necessarily lead to a cut-and-dry solution—instead, the process helps you understand the different variables at play so you can make an informed decision. 

6. Present your solution

Communication is a key skill for critical thinkers. It isn’t enough to think for yourself—you also need to share your conclusion with other project stakeholders. If there are multiple solutions, present them all. There may be a case where you implement one solution, then test to see if it works before implementing another solution. 

7. Analyze your decision

The seven-step critical thinking process yields a result—and you then need to put that solution into place. After you’ve implemented your decision, evaluate whether or not it was effective. Did it solve the initial problem? What lessons—whether positive or negative—can you learn from this experience to improve your critical thinking for next time? 

Depending on how your team shares information, consider documenting lessons learned in a central source of truth. That way, team members that are making similar or related decisions in the future can understand why you made the decision you made and what the outcome was. 

Example of critical thinking in the workplace

Imagine you work in user experience design (UX). Your team is focused on pricing and packaging and ensuring customers have a clear understanding of the different services your company offers. Here’s how to apply the critical thinking process in the workplace in seven steps: 

Start by identifying the problem

Your current pricing page isn’t performing as well as you want. You’ve heard from customers that your services aren’t clear, and that the page doesn’t answer the questions they have. This page is really important for your company, since it’s where your customers sign up for your service. You and your team have a few theories about why your current page isn’t performing well, but you decide to apply the critical thinking process to ensure you come to the best decision for the page. 

Gather information about how the problem started

Part of identifying the problem includes understanding how the problem started. The pricing and packaging page is important—so when your team initially designed the page, they certainly put a lot of thought into it. Before you begin researching how to improve the page, ask yourself: 

Why did you design the pricing page the way you did? 

Which stakeholders need to be involved in the decision making process? 

Where are users getting stuck on the page?

Are any features currently working?

Then, you research

In addition to understanding the history of the pricing and packaging page, it’s important to understand what works well. Part of this research means taking a look at what your competitor’s pricing pages look like. 

Ask yourself: 

How have our competitors set up their pricing pages?

Are there any pricing page best practices? 

How does color, positioning, and animation impact navigation? 

Are there any standard page layouts customers expect to see? 

Organize and analyze information

You’ve gathered all of the information you need—now you need to organize and analyze it. What trends, if any, are you noticing? Is there any particularly relevant or important information that you have to consider? 

Ask open-ended questions to reduce bias

In the case of critical thinking, it’s important to address and set bias aside as much as possible. Ask yourself: 

Is there anything I’m missing? 

Have I connected with the right stakeholders? 

Are there any other viewpoints I should consider? 

Determine the best solution for your team

You now have all of the information you need to design the best pricing page. Depending on the complexity of the design, you may want to design a few options to present to a small group of customers or A/B test on the live website.

Present your solution to stakeholders

Critical thinking can help you in every element of your life, but in the workplace, you must also involve key project stakeholders . Stakeholders help you determine next steps, like whether you’ll A/B test the page first. Depending on the complexity of the issue, consider hosting a meeting or sharing a status report to get everyone on the same page. 

Analyze the results

No process is complete without evaluating the results. Once the new page has been live for some time, evaluate whether it did better than the previous page. What worked? What didn’t? This also helps you make better critical decisions later on.

Critically successful 

Critical thinking takes time to build, but with effort and patience you can apply an unbiased, analytical mind to any situation. Critical thinking makes up one of many soft skills that makes you an effective team member, manager, and worker. If you’re looking to hone your skills further, read our article on the 25 project management skills you need to succeed . 

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Critical Thinking Skills for the Professional

This course is part of Professional Skills for the Workplace Specialization

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Instructor: Diane Davidson

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What you'll learn

Apply critical thinking skills to complex problems.

Apply a model for solving problems and pose questions to further understanding of specific problems.

Skills you'll gain

• Critical Thinking
• Decision-Making
• Problem Solving
• Brainstorming

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There are 3 modules in this course

Have you ever tried to find a solution to a problem only to realize you’ve been focusing on the wrong problem from the very beginning? Or you’ve proposed a solution only to have it shut down by your boss or coworkers? How stressful and defeating is that? With massive changes in our world that seem to create the most difficult of circumstances, both personally and professionally, your skills as a critical thinker and problem solver need to be further developed now more than ever.

By the end of this course you will have learned and memorized a practical model to solve problems on your own and with others. These 7 critical steps will ensure that you have looked at a problem from every angle and considered multiple solutions. In fact, this dynamic and holistic approach will help you solve problems once and for all!

Getting Started and Introduction to Problem Solving

In this module, you will be able to apply a model for solving any problem, large or small, in a creative and collaborative way. You will also be able to identify all aspects of a problem and examine role in the problem. You will be able to reframe a goal oriented question.

What's included

5 videos 2 readings 2 quizzes 3 discussion prompts

5 videos • Total 27 minutes

• Introduction to Problem Solving • 4 minutes • Preview module
• Why So Many Problems? • 6 minutes
• Kinetic Memorization • 3 minutes
• Identify the Problem • 6 minutes
• Reframe • 6 minutes

2 readings • Total 70 minutes

• A Note From UC Davis • 10 minutes
• Recommended Readings • 60 minutes

2 quizzes • Total 30 minutes

• Identifying Problems Quiz • 15 minutes
• Problem Solving Steps Quiz • 15 minutes

3 discussion prompts • Total 50 minutes

• Learning Goals • 10 minutes
• Identifying the Problem • 30 minutes
• Reframe Your Problem • 10 minutes

Brainstorming and Analyzing Options

In this module, you will be able to brainstorm solutions to your possible problem. You will choose 3 possible options and analyze the advantages and disadvantages of each option. You will be able to generate more effective solutions.

5 videos 2 readings 1 quiz 2 discussion prompts

5 videos • Total 21 minutes

• Module Introduction • 4 minutes • Preview module
• Individual vs. Group Brainstorming • 4 minutes
• Brainstorming Guidelines • 4 minutes
• Choose 3 • 3 minutes
• Advantages and Disadvantages • 5 minutes

2 readings • Total 100 minutes

• Brainstorm Using Jamboard • 10 minutes
• Recommended Readings • 90 minutes
• Module 2 Quiz • 0 minutes

2 discussion prompts • Total 45 minutes

• Brainstorm Possible Solutions to Your Problem • 15 minutes
• Choose 3 and Analyze the Advantages & Disadvantages • 30 minutes

Recommending and Engaging Feedback

In this module, you will be able to explore your own triggers and how they may show up in our reactions. You'll be able to identify potential responses that could trigger negative reactions. You will be able to prepare and make a recommendation to your problem. You will also be able to engage in feedback.

6 videos 1 reading 1 quiz 1 discussion prompt

6 videos • Total 19 minutes

• Introduction to Prepare and Recommend • 1 minute • Preview module
• Prepare and Recommend Example • 2 minutes
• Applying Your Recommendation • 3 minutes
• Be and Avoid • 5 minutes
• Engage Feedback • 3 minutes
• Course Summary and Wrap-up • 3 minutes

1 reading • Total 60 minutes

1 quiz • total 30 minutes.

• Module 3 Quiz • 30 minutes

1 discussion prompt • Total 15 minutes

• Analyze Your Triggers • 15 minutes

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769 reviews

Reviewed on Oct 2, 2023

It is great course to learn and improve your critical thinking and taking decision based on procedure and principles laind down .

Reviewed on Apr 6, 2022

One of the greatest online courses I have ever taken. The instructor was much knowledgeable and engaging. I gained a lot from this course. Thank You so much!

Reviewed on Sep 3, 2021

After the course, i have a working model to solve any problem, large and small. I believe that i can use the problem-solving skills in all aspects of my work and life. Many thanks!

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Building Your Team’s Critical Thinking Skills for Success

• August 15, 2023
• Teamwork & Collaboration

In today’s complex and rapidly changing world, the ability to think critically is crucial for individuals and teams seeking success. Like a sturdy foundation, critical thinking skills provide the necessary support and structure for problem-solving, decision-making, and innovation. However, the cultivation of these skills often falls short in educational and professional settings. This article explores the importance of building critical thinking skills and offers methods for their development, along with the benefits that can be reaped. By empowering teams with critical thinking, they can navigate challenges with agility and achieve desired outcomes.

Table of Contents

Key Takeaways

• Critical thinking skills are highly valued in job candidates and are essential for problem-solving and innovation.
• Educational institutions and employers often do not adequately develop critical thinking skills.
• Lack of critical thinking skills can lead to poor decision-making and decreased productivity and efficiency.
• To develop critical thinking skills in your team, provide specific instruction and guidance, offer training programs and resources, encourage open-mindedness, and foster a culture that values and rewards critical thinking.

The Importance of Critical Thinking Skills for Success

The importance of critical thinking skills for success is evident in the improved decision-making abilities, enhanced creativity and innovation, increased efficiency and productivity, better communication and collaboration within teams, and adaptability and resilience in the face of challenges that it brings. Critical thinking plays a crucial role in problem-solving and decision-making processes, as it enables individuals to analyze situations, evaluate options, and make informed choices. It helps in identifying biases, assumptions, and fallacies that may hinder effective problem-solving. To foster critical thinking in the workplace, organizations can implement strategies such as providing specific instruction and guidance, offering training programs, encouraging open-mindedness, fostering a culture that values and rewards critical thinking, and providing opportunities for practice and application of critical thinking skills. By developing these skills, individuals can enhance their problem-solving abilities and contribute to the overall success of the organization.

Understanding the Definition and Components of Critical Thinking

Execution, one of the measurable phases of critical thinking, involves the effective execution of tasks. Understanding critical thinking assessment is crucial in evaluating an individual’s ability to execute tasks and perform well in critical thinking. Bloom’s Taxonomy plays a significant role in critical thinking by providing a framework for understanding the different levels of thinking and the cognitive processes involved. It helps in assessing and developing critical thinking skills by categorizing thinking into six levels, ranging from basic knowledge to higher-order thinking skills such as analysis, evaluation, and creation. By using Bloom’s Taxonomy, educators and evaluators can assess the depth and complexity of critical thinking skills and identify areas for improvement. Incorporating Bloom’s Taxonomy into critical thinking assessment can guide the development of effective instructional strategies and promote higher-level cognitive thinking.

The Role of Execution in Developing Critical Thinking Skills

One of the measurable phases of critical thinking, execution, plays a crucial role in the development and enhancement of critical thinking skills. Execution refers to the ability to carry out tasks effectively. In the context of critical thinking, execution involves the application of problem-solving strategies and the implementation of plans or actions to solve a given problem or achieve a specific goal. Effective execution requires individuals to apply their analytical thinking, evaluate potential solutions, and make informed decisions. The impact of critical thinking on problem-solving is significant, as it enables individuals to approach problems systematically, consider multiple perspectives, and generate innovative solutions. By honing their execution skills, individuals can improve their problem-solving abilities and enhance their overall critical thinking prowess.

The Power of Synthesis in Critical Thinking

Synthesis, a fundamental component of critical thinking, involves the integration and combination of information to generate new perspectives and ideas. In problem-solving, synthesis plays a crucial role in developing critical thinking in the workplace.

Integration of Information: Synthesis requires the ability to gather and analyze information from various sources, such as research studies, reports, and expert opinions. By integrating this information, individuals can gain a comprehensive understanding of the problem at hand.

Generation of New Perspectives: Through synthesis, individuals can go beyond the surface-level understanding of a problem and generate new perspectives and ideas. This creative process allows for innovative solutions and approaches to problem-solving.

Problem-Solving Efficiency: Synthesis improves problem-solving efficiency by enabling individuals to identify patterns, connections, and relationships between different pieces of information. This holistic view helps in identifying the most appropriate course of action and avoiding potential pitfalls or biases.

Methods for Providing Instruction and Guidance in Critical Thinking

To effectively provide instruction and guidance in critical thinking, it is important to implement specific training programs and resources focused on the development of this skill. Methods for critical thinking instruction include providing specific instruction and guidance to team members, offering training programs and resources, encouraging open-mindedness and exploration of different perspectives, fostering a culture that values and rewards critical thinking, and providing opportunities for practice and application of critical thinking skills. These methods have numerous benefits for individuals and organizations. Developing critical thinking skills leads to improved decision-making and problem-solving abilities, enhanced creativity and innovation, increased efficiency and productivity, better communication and collaboration within teams, and adaptability and resilience in the face of challenges. Therefore, organizations should prioritize the implementation of these methods to cultivate critical thinking skills and reap the benefits of their development.

Training Programs and Resources for Developing Critical Thinking

Training programs and resources are essential for the development of critical thinking skills in individuals and organizations. These programs provide structured and systematic approaches to enhance critical thinking abilities. To measure the effectiveness of training programs in developing critical thinking skills, the following methods can be employed:

Pre- and post-training assessments: Before and after the training, individuals can be evaluated using standardized tests or assessments specifically designed to measure critical thinking skills. This allows for a quantitative comparison of skill improvement.

Performance evaluations: Observing participants’ performance in real-world scenarios can provide insights into their critical thinking abilities. Evaluating decision-making processes, problem-solving strategies, and the application of logical reasoning can help determine the effectiveness of the training.

Feedback and self-reflection: Gathering feedback from participants regarding their perception of their own critical thinking skills can provide qualitative data on the impact of the training. Self-reflection exercises can also help individuals identify areas for improvement and gauge their progress over time.

Encouraging Open-Mindedness and Exploring Different Perspectives

Encouraging open-mindedness and exploring different perspectives is a valuable approach in fostering critical thinking abilities. By exposing individuals to diverse viewpoints, they are prompted to challenge their own assumptions and beliefs, leading to a deeper understanding of complex issues. This process allows for the exploration of various angles and considerations, ultimately enhancing critical thinking skills. Creating a fostering critical thinking environment necessitates creating opportunities for individuals to engage in dialogue and debate, where they can listen to and learn from differing opinions. Additionally, it involves promoting a culture of respect and tolerance for diverse perspectives, encouraging individuals to actively seek out alternative viewpoints. By incorporating these practices, organizations and educational institutions can cultivate a critical thinking environment that nurtures the development of well-rounded individuals capable of thoughtful analysis and decision-making.

Creating a Culture That Values and Rewards Critical Thinking

Creating a culture that values and rewards critical thinking involves establishing systems and structures within an organization or educational institution that recognize and acknowledge individuals who demonstrate strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities. To promote critical thinking, organizations can implement the following strategies:

Implementing critical thinking in performance evaluations: Incorporating criteria that assess an individual’s ability to think critically and make sound judgments can incentivize employees to develop and display these skills. This can be done by including specific performance indicators related to critical thinking in the evaluation process.

Promoting critical thinking in team meetings: Encouraging open discussions and debates during team meetings can foster an environment where critical thinking is valued. By posing thought-provoking questions, encouraging different perspectives, and challenging assumptions, teams can collectively engage in critical thinking and generate innovative solutions.

Offering training and development opportunities: Providing training programs and resources focused on critical thinking can equip individuals with the necessary knowledge and skills to think critically. This can include workshops, seminars, or online courses that teach techniques and strategies for effective critical thinking.

Opportunities for Practice and Application of Critical Thinking Skills

One effective method to enhance critical thinking abilities involves providing individuals with practical scenarios and real-life situations that require the application of analytical and problem-solving skills. By offering practice opportunities that simulate real-world application, individuals can develop and refine their critical thinking skills. The utilization of practical scenarios allows individuals to engage in active learning, where they can apply their knowledge and skills to solve complex problems and make informed decisions. Through these practice opportunities, individuals are exposed to a range of challenges and are encouraged to think critically, analyze information, evaluate options, and generate innovative solutions. This hands-on approach to developing critical thinking skills not only enhances individuals’ ability to solve problems effectively, but also prepares them for real-world situations where critical thinking is essential. Ultimately, the integration of practical scenarios provides individuals with valuable experiences that strengthen their critical thinking abilities.

The Benefits of Improved Decision-Making and Problem-Solving

The previous subtopic discussed the opportunities for practice and application of critical thinking skills. Now, let’s delve into the benefits of improved decision-making and problem-solving that result from developing these skills.

Enhanced problem-solving techniques: Critical thinking enables individuals to analyze complex problems, identify underlying issues, and determine the most effective solutions. By developing critical thinking skills, teams can approach problems with a systematic and logical mindset, leading to more efficient and effective problem-solving processes.

Improved decision-making: Critical thinking plays a crucial role in decision-making by enabling individuals to evaluate information objectively, consider various perspectives, and weigh the pros and cons of different options. This helps teams make well-informed decisions that are based on evidence and reasoning rather than biases or gut feelings.

Increased effectiveness in complex situations: Critical thinking empowers individuals to navigate complex and ambiguous situations by providing them with the ability to analyze information, assess potential risks, and make sound judgments. This enhances their ability to adapt and respond effectively in dynamic environments.

Overall, the impact of critical thinking on decision-making and problem-solving is significant. By improving these skills, teams can make better decisions, solve problems more effectively, and ultimately achieve higher levels of success.

Enhancing Creativity and Innovation Through Critical Thinking

Enhancing creativity and innovation can be achieved by developing critical thinking abilities through the application of analytical and problem-solving techniques. Critical thinking in the workplace is crucial for fostering a culture of innovation. By honing critical thinking skills, individuals are able to approach challenges and problems with a more analytical mindset, allowing for the generation of new and creative ideas. This ability to think critically enables individuals to analyze situations from multiple perspectives, identify potential opportunities, and develop innovative solutions. Moreover, critical thinking encourages individuals to question assumptions, challenge existing norms, and explore alternative possibilities. By fostering a culture that values and rewards critical thinking, organizations can create an environment that encourages the generation of new ideas and supports innovation. Ultimately, enhancing critical thinking in the workplace is essential for promoting creativity and driving innovation forward.

Increasing Efficiency and Productivity With Critical Thinking

In order to increase efficiency and productivity in team settings, it is crucial to develop critical thinking skills in team meetings and integrate critical thinking into project management. This can be achieved through various strategies:

Encouraging active participation: Team members should be encouraged to actively engage in discussions and contribute their thoughts and ideas. This promotes critical thinking by fostering the exploration of different perspectives and the evaluation of various options.

Facilitating problem-solving exercises: Incorporating problem-solving exercises into team meetings allows members to practice critical thinking skills in a supportive environment. These exercises can involve analyzing complex scenarios, identifying potential solutions, and evaluating the pros and cons of each option.

Providing tools and frameworks: Equipping team members with tools and frameworks for critical thinking, such as decision-making models and problem-solving methodologies, can enhance their ability to think critically and make informed decisions. These resources can serve as a guide for approaching complex tasks and projects in a systematic and analytical manner.

Better Communication and Collaboration Through Critical Thinking

Better communication and collaboration within teams can be achieved by fostering an environment that promotes critical thinking and the exploration of diverse perspectives. When team members are encouraged to think critically, they are more likely to engage in open and meaningful discussions. Critical thinking allows individuals to analyze information, evaluate different viewpoints, and communicate their ideas effectively. By fostering effective collaboration, teams can benefit from the collective intelligence and diverse perspectives of its members. Team members who engage in critical thinking are more likely to actively listen to others, consider alternative solutions, and engage in constructive debates. This can lead to improved teamwork, as individuals are able to work together towards common goals and make informed decisions. In conclusion, improving teamwork through critical thinking and fostering effective collaboration can greatly enhance the overall performance and success of a team.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some common barriers to developing critical thinking skills.

Common barriers to developing critical thinking skills include lack of effective instruction and guidance, absence of training programs and resources, closed-mindedness, and a culture that does not value or reward critical thinking. Strategies for improvement include providing specific instruction, offering training programs, encouraging open-mindedness, fostering a culture of critical thinking, and providing opportunities for practice and application.

How Can Critical Thinking Skills Be Applied in Real-Life Situations Outside of the Workplace?

Applying critical thinking skills in everyday life enhances problem-solving abilities in personal situations. It allows individuals to analyze and evaluate information, consider different perspectives, and make informed decisions, leading to more effective problem-solving and decision-making in various contexts.

Are There Any Potential Drawbacks or Limitations to Relying Heavily on Critical Thinking in Decision-Making?

Potential drawbacks and limitations of relying heavily on critical thinking in decision-making include the possibility of overanalyzing, which can lead to decision paralysis. Additionally, critical thinking may not always account for emotional or intuitive factors that could influence outcomes.

Can Critical Thinking Skills Be Developed and Improved Over Time, or Are They Fixed?

The question of whether critical thinking skills can be developed and improved over time, or if they are fixed, is an important area of inquiry. This topic warrants further investigation to provide a comprehensive understanding of the nature of critical thinking skills.

Are There Any Specific Industries or Job Roles That Prioritize Critical Thinking Skills More Than Others?

Certain industries and job roles prioritize critical thinking skills more than others. For example, professions such as law, medicine, engineering, and finance require individuals to analyze complex information, make informed decisions, and solve problems effectively.

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How Teams Should Approach Critical Thinking

by Bryn Kelly

Posted on January 18, 2020

Want to know how you and your team can think critically? You’ve come to the right place. By developing your critical thinking skills, you’ll be able to make choices and arguments that are both objective and effective. You’ll also be able to think through and solve difficult problems. Critical thinking skills are important in the workplace , so here we’ll explore seven methods to approach it with your team.

What is critical thinking?

Critical thinking is the process of conceptualising, analysing, synthesising, or evaluating information that you’ve gathered from observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication. It’s about considering the ‘what, where, when, why, who and how’ of something. This’ll help you understand things better and therefore make better decisions, as well as help you recognise and find solutions to complex problems.

If you have critical thinking skills , you’ll be able to:

• Understand the logical connection between ideas.
• Determine whether an argument or idea is important or relevant.
• Recognise, build, and appraise evidence and arguments.
• Find errors or inconsistencies in reasoning.
• Approach problems consistently and systematically.
• Reflect on your own beliefs, values, and assumptions.

Best ways for teams to approach critical thinking

1. question each other.

Questioning what someone says enables you to think critically, so get your team to question each other. For example, if someone makes an assumption or says something you don’t agree with, ask them why they think that way in a non-confrontational manner. If you don’t understand what someone is trying to say or you’re confused, ask them to further elaborate. Asking questions is a great start to thinking critically.

2. Challenge each other’s mental shortcuts

Your brain naturally uses heuristics, or mental shortcuts , to explain what’s happening around you and help you make decisions and solve problems based on limited information. However, this can lead to cognitive biases and personal prejudices. A critical thinker is aware of their biases and prejudices and how they influence seemingly objective decisions and solutions. To make critical thinking possible in your team, you should be aware of and challenge each other’s mental shortcuts.

3. Share and learn critical thinking strategies

There are various critical thinking strategies that you can learn and share with your team. This includes being aware of how you and others think, analysing what someone says or does, using evidence-based reasoning, identifying what isn’t stated, and debating questions and answers. Doing these things can help you and your team think more critically.

4. Use active listening

To become critical thinkers, your team should actively listen to others’ ideas, arguments, and criticisms. This means not thinking of your response or reaction while someone else is speaking. Listening allows you to feel empathy and when you hear someone’s perspective, you can take that information and analyse it. By using active listening skills, you’ll be able to fully understand what someone is trying to tell you because the conversation continues until you can repeat what the other person is trying to say.

5. Look for problems and solve them together

Identifying problems and solving them can also help your team think critically. Once a problem is identified, state it clearly and then figure out what you have to do to solve it. This includes gathering the information you need and analysing it to draw reasonable inferences. Next, consider your options for action and weigh up the advantages and disadvantages of each. Then create a strategy to solve the problem and implement it. Afterwards, review the results and implement change where necessary.

6. Evaluate each other’s strengths and weaknesses

Every member of your team should clearly assess their own and someone else’s strengths and weaknesses, and the impact these may have on any decisions you make. For instance, you could ask questions like: What are you good at? What are you bad at? What do you want to improve on? This can help you assign tasks to the right person and ensure they get done efficiently and effectively.

7. Use foresight

Foresight is the ability to predict the future impact of a decision. Your team should use foresight as far as this is possible so that everyone can make the best decisions and avoid negative outcomes. For example, moving your business to a new location could improve output but you might end up losing skilled workers if the distance is too far. It’s important to consider which of the two is more important and if there’s a way to reduce the conflict.

Develop your critical thinking skills with Deakin’s micro-credentials

Critical thinking can help you evaluate information objectively in order to solve problems and make the right decisions at work. By following these tips, thinking critically will become second nature to you and, in turn, it’ll benefit your team in the workplace.

Critical thinking is an essential skill to have in the workplace and can be gained through learning and practice. Have your existing critical thinking skills recognised, and become an authority in your workplace. Learn more about Deakin’s Critical Thinking Credential today.

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What is Critical Thinking and Why is it Valuable in the Workplace?

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• > What is Critical Thinking and Why is it Valuable in the Workplace?

There are times at work when you simply have to “do.” A tight deadline, a demanding project outline, or a highly particular superior might mean that it makes sense to complete a task without too much mental tinkering. But work like this can be unsustainable and worse — it won’t leverage your ability to think critically.

There is value in thinking critically in every aspect of your life. From making decisions in your personal life, to interrogating the media you consume, to assessing your work with a critical eye, applying critical thinking is an essential skill everyone should be trying to hone.

At your workplace, critical thinking can distinguish you as a leader, and a valuable mind to bounce ideas off. It can help improve the quality of your work, and the perception those higher up the chain have of you.

Here’s what you need to know about critical thinking in the workplace:

What Exactly is “Critical Thinking”?

  In a nutshell, critical thinking is the ability to think reasonably, detaching yourself from personal bias, emotional responses, and subjective opinions. It involves using the data at hand to make a reasoned choice without falling prey to the temptations of doing things simply because they’ve always been done a certain way.

Critical thinking takes time. It might be quicker simply to take instruction at face value, or rely on the traditions of your team. But without analyzing the reasons behind decisions and tasks, it becomes extremely easy to adopt bad habits. This might be time-wasting meetings, inefficient uses of effort, or poor interactions with team members. Taking the time to ask “why” you’re doing something is the first step to thinking critically.

Sometimes, data is available which allows you to make reasoned decisions based on absolute facts. If you can show that a new best practice can objectively improve current processes with hard data, you’ve used the very basics of critical thinking. That said, actual numbers aren’t always available when making a decision. Real critical thinking involves taking a careful look at situations and making a decision based on what is known, not what is felt.

Why Is Critical Thinking Important in the Workplace?

The short answer to the above question is this: critical thinkers make the best decisions, most often. And in the workplace, where choices about how to complete tasks, communicate information, relate with coworkers, and develop strategy are so common, critical thinkers are extremely valuable.

A savvy hiring manager will make this part of the recruitment process. It’s pretty easy to gauge how someone is inclined to solve a problem — ask them how they would deal with a specific situation, and give them the opportunity to use their critical thinking skills, versus deferring to an emotional, or prescribed reaction. Employing people who can think and act reasonably will pay enormous dividends down the road.

Using your critical thinking skills in the workplace will define you as a problem solver. This is not only useful career-wise (although having upper-level people at your company think highly of you is undoubtedly a benefit) it also establishes you as a leader among your fellow team members. Demonstrating your ability to solve problems and accomplish goals effectively will help instill confidence in you with all your coworkers.

How to Use Critical Thinking in the Workplace

The first step to actually using critical thinking is approaching every situation with an open mind. You need to be receptive to all information available, not just the kind that satisfies your preconceived notions or personal biases. This can be easier said than done, of course — lessons learned and beliefs held are often done so with a reason. But when it comes to critical thinking, it’s important to analyze each situation independently.

Once you’ve analyzed a situation with an open mind, you need to consider how to communicate it properly. It’s all very well and good to approach situations with objective logic, but it doesn’t do you any favours to sound like  Mr. Spock  when you’re conveying your conclusions. Be tactful, patient and humble when you are explaining how and why you’ve come to decisions. Use data if available to support your findings, but understand that not everyone is able to remove emotion from situations.

The final, and perhaps least obvious, application with critical thinking is creativity. Often, getting creative means pushing boundaries and reshaping convention. This means taking a risk — one that can often be worth the reward. Using a critical thinking approach when getting creative can help you mitigate the risk, and better determine what value your creativity can bring. It will help you and your team try new things and reinvent current processes while hopefully not rocking the boat too much.

Learn More About Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is a valuable skill for all aspects of your life. It benefits problem solving, creativity, and teamwork. And it translates particularly well to the workplace, where it can distinguish you as a valuable employee and leader.

Taking the extra time to examine things objectively, make decisions based on logic, and communicate it tactfully will help you, those you work with, and your work goals prosper. To learn more about how to do that, have a look at our  Critical Thinking and Problem Solving for Effective Decision-Making   workshop and register today!

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Building Critical Thinking Skills to Solve Problems at Work

Table of Contents

Critical thinking is a vital soft skill that uses one’s experiences and analytical skills to deduce information and make educated decisions. It’s an essential skill to have in the workplace, as the ability to use information from a broader and more impartial perspective allows your employees to make more informed decisions and see a comprehensive view of any situation. 

The U.S. Department of Labor identified critical thinking as a key component for essential workplace skills, including problem-solving and decision-making. Here’s how to build – and implement – critical thinking skills in the workplace.

>> Learn more: 12 Business Skills You Need to Master

How to use critical thinking to problem-solve

Here is a six-step problem-solving process to try with your team to build and use this skill.

1. Name the situation.

When you name the situation, you present a single discussion point that everyone in the discussion can identify. This statement can be written on a whiteboard as a visual prompt so that the team can focus on the point and redirect the discussion when the topic shifts. Critical thinking involves keeping an open mind about situations. You help participants remember the goal of the group by naming the situation.

2. List all possible solutions.

Brainstorming takes place during this part of the process. There is nothing outside the realm of possibilities at this point in the discussion. When you open the conversation to unlimited options, you expand thinking beyond one person. The ability to expand your thinking offers the conversation many possible solutions that you may not have considered without the expression of thoughts and opinions. Make sure that all potential solutions discussed during this time stay on task for the situation that has been named in the first step. Critical thinking includes the ability to keep an open mind to other considerations and viewpoints without losing track of the end goal. You expand the discussion to see new options and stay on task by identifying multiple opportunities.

3. Narrow your solutions to three options.

Everyone on the team needs to agree with at least one of the three options. Individuals who can find a compromise and create solutions from many perspectives are better able to bring a team together. Write each solution at the top of a whiteboard and include below each one a list of its advantages and disadvantages. Critical-thinking skills offer the ability to look at situations rationally without judgments of good and bad or wrong and right. You can maintain a rational discussion when you bring consensus to a few intentionally chosen solutions.

Critical thinking helps individuals look at situations from multiple sides and imagine several ways to respond.

4. Choose one option from the three choices.

Make a final choice that offers the best chance of success based on rational discussion about the situation. Review this choice in relation to how well it solves the designated problem. Critical thinking skills help individuals use a more systematic way to come to conclusions. This reduces the chance of making decisions based on incorrect inferences arising from emotional conclusions.

5. Put a plan in place to implement the chosen solution.

Your chosen solution should have timelines and a list that identifies which participants are responsible for what parts of the final plan. Critical-thinking skills include the ability to commit to the chosen solution. You increase attention to detail and interest from the participants in implementing the solution when they are an integral part of the process.

6. Complete the plan.

Some employees find this part of the process the most difficult. Think of the number of times a great plan floundered because there was no follow-up. Make sure each person from the team has a part to play in the process that emphasizes their areas of expertise and interest. Complete regular reviews of people and timelines for project management. Critical thinking involves the ability to see the value of the overall plan. At this point in the process, individuals should be able to see the value of the solution and have buy-in since they were part of the process.

This problem-solving process creates an environment where critical thinking becomes a working part of finding a solution. For individuals who struggle with this method, you may want to consider some training in critical thinking. Overall, though, this process promotes critical thinking in your employees. You can also integrate this activity for making plans and creating a mission. The value added to your organization includes improved engagement , insight and productivity from your team.

According to research from America Succeeds , durable skills – such as critical thinking – accounted for 7 out of 10 requested skills in a study of 82 million job postings.

Why critical thinking is essential in the workplace

In recent decades, companies have recognized the need for integrating critical thinking into the workplace to help build the success of their organizations. Strong critical-thinking skills can greatly benefit everybody in the workplace. Not only does thinking more openly introduce ideas and solutions that widen the opportunities for success, but it also provides an increase in teamwork and productivity and a decrease in conflict . Here are some additional benefits of critical thinking in the workplace.

Required in certain professions

In many professions – particularly those based on research or that require deductive reasoning, such as finance, education, research and law – acquiring critical-thinking skills is necessary. With critical thinking, employees can solve problems objectively by considering varying perspectives and analyzing facts without bias, allowing for smart decision-making and problem-solving.

Improves decision-making

Those with critical-thinking skills mull over their decisions thoroughly by researching, looking at information objectively, asking questions, and weighing the pros and cons before acting. This skill can help businesses stay on track when making decisions by thoroughly reviewing the risk versus reward of each decision. 

Boosts happiness

Critical thinking can boost happiness , as it is empowering to have the skills to make your own, well-informed decisions. Those who possess this skill are more in tune with their goals, needs and personal ethics, and they have a better understanding of what in their situation needs to change to make themselves happy or grow. [Read related article: How Hiring a Chief Happiness Officer Can Save Your Business ]

One of the main reasons businesses don’t embrace critical thinking as an essential part of their organization is that they feel they are just too busy; however, the benefits of critical thinking are invaluable to a team.

How to build critical-thinking skills

Here are a few ways you can polish your critical-thinking skills.

Practice active listening.

Practice actively listening by keeping an open mind and being attentive to those around you, from associates to executives. Listen to what others are saying to gain an understanding of each person’s individual perspective, needs and expectations, and show them empathy. This level of understanding will allow you to work together more effectively and make decisions that everyone is satisfied with.

Ask critical questions.

Instead of taking information at face value, be curious and ask questions to ensure you have everything you need to make a well-informed decision. Using open-ended questions offers an opportunity for further exploration, as they dive deeper and provide insightful details that can be helpful when making decisions.

Vet new information.

Don’t assume all new information you hear is true; instead, take time to thoroughly vet it by ensuring it’s up to date and it comes from a trustworthy source. Look at the existing evidence and the new facts being presented, then question thought processes and consider whose voice is missing.

Consider more than one perspective.

While you may feel that you have the “right” perspective, consider all points of view to fully understand others and their reasoning. This will help you improve your working relationships, better understand where your peers are coming from and tailor your communication to meet their needs.

Question your own biases.

Regardless of whether or not you try to avoid it in your decision-making process, everybody has their own biases, which are the foundation of their thinking. By uncovering your own biases and being actively aware of them, you can grow as a critical thinker and work to keep them separate from your decision-making process. 

Conduct research.

If there are any unanswered questions or gaps in the information provided, conduct research to further your understanding and reach a decision. Consider a source’s intention when conducting research, avoiding any that are sales-based or contain ill will. Don’t use social media to obtain information; stick to reputable publications free of bias and cite their sources.

Form your own opinion.

Be an independent thinker and form your own opinions by considering the information presented to you, including facts and evidence. Listen to and consider the opinions of others, but use deductive reasoning to form your own opinion – and stay true to it.

Lynette Reed contributed to the writing and reporting in this article. 

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How to promote critical thinking in the workplace

What is critical thinking?

• I have a tendency to think before I act
• I use solid information to inform my decisions
• I don’t base decisions on feelings
• I am happy to change methods
• I find it easy to explain the reasoning behind my decisions

How do we use critical thinking in the workplace?

• Ensuring you always have your eye on the end goal
• Talking to other people and collecting relevant information
• Using information and facts to inform your actions
• Making sure your own preconceptions don’t influence a situation
• Building solutions that are individual to each situation
• Anticipating both the long and the short-term consequences of decisions

Why is workplace critical thinking so significant?

• Poor decision making
• Unhappy colleagues
• A lack of necessary action
• Dysfunctional systems
• Financial losses
• Wasted time and effort

How can I develop my critical thinking skills?

• Get into the habit of asking important but basic questions such as, ‘What do we already know about this situation?’ or ‘What is our main goal here?’
• Gain a solid understanding of your own preconceptions. Learn how to override them
• Do plenty of research but don’t forget to think for yourself as well
• Talk to your employer about a whole organisation approach
• Consider a career move into job roles that often require expert critical thinking. There are many of these but IT business analyst , project analyst and supervisor are popular cross-industry examples.
• Investigate training opportunities. For example, Upskilled’s BSB50215 - Diploma of Business can help you develop a competitive edge and includes a unit on applying advanced critical thinking to work processes.

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• What Is Critical Thinking? | Definition & Examples

What Is Critical Thinking? | Definition & Examples

Published on May 30, 2022 by Eoghan Ryan . Revised on May 31, 2023.

Critical thinking is the ability to effectively analyze information and form a judgment .

To think critically, you must be aware of your own biases and assumptions when encountering information, and apply consistent standards when evaluating sources .

Critical thinking skills help you to:

• Identify credible sources
• Evaluate and respond to arguments
• Assess alternative viewpoints
• Test hypotheses against relevant criteria

Table of contents

Why is critical thinking important, critical thinking examples, how to think critically, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about critical thinking.

Critical thinking is important for making judgments about sources of information and forming your own arguments. It emphasizes a rational, objective, and self-aware approach that can help you to identify credible sources and strengthen your conclusions.

Critical thinking is important in all disciplines and throughout all stages of the research process . The types of evidence used in the sciences and in the humanities may differ, but critical thinking skills are relevant to both.

In academic writing , critical thinking can help you to determine whether a source:

• Is free from research bias
• Provides evidence to support its research findings
• Considers alternative viewpoints

Outside of academia, critical thinking goes hand in hand with information literacy to help you form opinions rationally and engage independently and critically with popular media.

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Critical thinking can help you to identify reliable sources of information that you can cite in your research paper . It can also guide your own research methods and inform your own arguments.

Outside of academia, critical thinking can help you to be aware of both your own and others’ biases and assumptions.

Academic examples

However, when you compare the findings of the study with other current research, you determine that the results seem improbable. You analyze the paper again, consulting the sources it cites.

You notice that the research was funded by the pharmaceutical company that created the treatment. Because of this, you view its results skeptically and determine that more independent research is necessary to confirm or refute them. Example: Poor critical thinking in an academic context You’re researching a paper on the impact wireless technology has had on developing countries that previously did not have large-scale communications infrastructure. You read an article that seems to confirm your hypothesis: the impact is mainly positive. Rather than evaluating the research methodology, you accept the findings uncritically.

Nonacademic examples

However, you decide to compare this review article with consumer reviews on a different site. You find that these reviews are not as positive. Some customers have had problems installing the alarm, and some have noted that it activates for no apparent reason.

You revisit the original review article. You notice that the words “sponsored content” appear in small print under the article title. Based on this, you conclude that the review is advertising and is therefore not an unbiased source. Example: Poor critical thinking in a nonacademic context You support a candidate in an upcoming election. You visit an online news site affiliated with their political party and read an article that criticizes their opponent. The article claims that the opponent is inexperienced in politics. You accept this without evidence, because it fits your preconceptions about the opponent.

There is no single way to think critically. How you engage with information will depend on the type of source you’re using and the information you need.

However, you can engage with sources in a systematic and critical way by asking certain questions when you encounter information. Like the CRAAP test , these questions focus on the currency , relevance , authority , accuracy , and purpose of a source of information.

When encountering information, ask:

• Who is the author? Are they an expert in their field?
• What do they say? Is their argument clear? Can you summarize it?
• When did they say this? Is the source current?
• Where is the information published? Is it an academic article? Is it peer-reviewed ?
• Why did the author publish it? What is their motivation?
• How do they make their argument? Is it backed up by evidence? Does it rely on opinion, speculation, or appeals to emotion ? Do they address alternative arguments?

Critical thinking also involves being aware of your own biases, not only those of others. When you make an argument or draw your own conclusions, you can ask similar questions about your own writing:

• Am I only considering evidence that supports my preconceptions?
• Is my argument expressed clearly and backed up with credible sources?
• Would I be convinced by this argument coming from someone else?

If you want to know more about ChatGPT, AI tools , citation , and plagiarism , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

• ChatGPT vs human editor
• ChatGPT citations
• Is ChatGPT trustworthy?
• Using ChatGPT for your studies
• What is ChatGPT?
• Chicago style
• Paraphrasing

 Plagiarism

• Types of plagiarism
• Self-plagiarism
• Avoiding plagiarism
• Academic integrity
• Consequences of plagiarism
• Common knowledge

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Critical thinking refers to the ability to evaluate information and to be aware of biases or assumptions, including your own.

Like information literacy , it involves evaluating arguments, identifying and solving problems in an objective and systematic way, and clearly communicating your ideas.

Critical thinking skills include the ability to:

You can assess information and arguments critically by asking certain questions about the source. You can use the CRAAP test , focusing on the currency , relevance , authority , accuracy , and purpose of a source of information.

Ask questions such as:

• Who is the author? Are they an expert?
• How do they make their argument? Is it backed up by evidence?

A credible source should pass the CRAAP test  and follow these guidelines:

• The information should be up to date and current.
• The author and publication should be a trusted authority on the subject you are researching.
• The sources the author cited should be easy to find, clear, and unbiased.
• For a web source, the URL and layout should signify that it is trustworthy.

Information literacy refers to a broad range of skills, including the ability to find, evaluate, and use sources of information effectively.

Being information literate means that you:

• Know how to find credible sources
• Use relevant sources to inform your research
• Understand what constitutes plagiarism
• Know how to cite your sources correctly

Confirmation bias is the tendency to search, interpret, and recall information in a way that aligns with our pre-existing values, opinions, or beliefs. It refers to the ability to recollect information best when it amplifies what we already believe. Relatedly, we tend to forget information that contradicts our opinions.

Although selective recall is a component of confirmation bias, it should not be confused with recall bias.

On the other hand, recall bias refers to the differences in the ability between study participants to recall past events when self-reporting is used. This difference in accuracy or completeness of recollection is not related to beliefs or opinions. Rather, recall bias relates to other factors, such as the length of the recall period, age, and the characteristics of the disease under investigation.

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A Crash Course in Critical Thinking

What you need to know—and read—about one of the essential skills needed today..

Posted April 8, 2024 | Reviewed by Michelle Quirk

• In research for "A More Beautiful Question," I did a deep dive into the current crisis in critical thinking.
• Many people may think of themselves as critical thinkers, but they actually are not.
• Here is a series of questions you can ask yourself to try to ensure that you are thinking critically.

Conspiracy theories. Inability to distinguish facts from falsehoods. Widespread confusion about who and what to believe.

These are some of the hallmarks of the current crisis in critical thinking—which just might be the issue of our times. Because if people aren’t willing or able to think critically as they choose potential leaders, they’re apt to choose bad ones. And if they can’t judge whether the information they’re receiving is sound, they may follow faulty advice while ignoring recommendations that are science-based and solid (and perhaps life-saving).

Moreover, as a society, if we can’t think critically about the many serious challenges we face, it becomes more difficult to agree on what those challenges are—much less solve them.

On a personal level, critical thinking can enable you to make better everyday decisions. It can help you make sense of an increasingly complex and confusing world.

In the new expanded edition of my book A More Beautiful Question ( AMBQ ), I took a deep dive into critical thinking. Here are a few key things I learned.

First off, before you can get better at critical thinking, you should understand what it is. It’s not just about being a skeptic. When thinking critically, we are thoughtfully reasoning, evaluating, and making decisions based on evidence and logic. And—perhaps most important—while doing this, a critical thinker always strives to be open-minded and fair-minded . That’s not easy: It demands that you constantly question your assumptions and biases and that you always remain open to considering opposing views.

In today’s polarized environment, many people think of themselves as critical thinkers simply because they ask skeptical questions—often directed at, say, certain government policies or ideas espoused by those on the “other side” of the political divide. The problem is, they may not be asking these questions with an open mind or a willingness to fairly consider opposing views.

When people do this, they’re engaging in “weak-sense critical thinking”—a term popularized by the late Richard Paul, a co-founder of The Foundation for Critical Thinking . “Weak-sense critical thinking” means applying the tools and practices of critical thinking—questioning, investigating, evaluating—but with the sole purpose of confirming one’s own bias or serving an agenda.

In AMBQ , I lay out a series of questions you can ask yourself to try to ensure that you’re thinking critically. Here are some of the questions to consider:

• Why do I believe what I believe?
• Are my views based on evidence?
• Have I fairly and thoughtfully considered differing viewpoints?
• Am I truly open to changing my mind?

Of course, becoming a better critical thinker is not as simple as just asking yourself a few questions. Critical thinking is a habit of mind that must be developed and strengthened over time. In effect, you must train yourself to think in a manner that is more effortful, aware, grounded, and balanced.

For those interested in giving themselves a crash course in critical thinking—something I did myself, as I was working on my book—I thought it might be helpful to share a list of some of the books that have shaped my own thinking on this subject. As a self-interested author, I naturally would suggest that you start with the new 10th-anniversary edition of A More Beautiful Question , but beyond that, here are the top eight critical-thinking books I’d recommend.

The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark , by Carl Sagan

This book simply must top the list, because the late scientist and author Carl Sagan continues to be such a bright shining light in the critical thinking universe. Chapter 12 includes the details on Sagan’s famous “baloney detection kit,” a collection of lessons and tips on how to deal with bogus arguments and logical fallacies.

Clear Thinking: Turning Ordinary Moments Into Extraordinary Results , by Shane Parrish

The creator of the Farnham Street website and host of the “Knowledge Project” podcast explains how to contend with biases and unconscious reactions so you can make better everyday decisions. It contains insights from many of the brilliant thinkers Shane has studied.

Good Thinking: Why Flawed Logic Puts Us All at Risk and How Critical Thinking Can Save the World , by David Robert Grimes

A brilliant, comprehensive 2021 book on critical thinking that, to my mind, hasn’t received nearly enough attention . The scientist Grimes dissects bad thinking, shows why it persists, and offers the tools to defeat it.

Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know , by Adam Grant

Intellectual humility—being willing to admit that you might be wrong—is what this book is primarily about. But Adam, the renowned Wharton psychology professor and bestselling author, takes the reader on a mind-opening journey with colorful stories and characters.

Think Like a Detective: A Kid's Guide to Critical Thinking , by David Pakman

The popular YouTuber and podcast host Pakman—normally known for talking politics —has written a terrific primer on critical thinking for children. The illustrated book presents critical thinking as a “superpower” that enables kids to unlock mysteries and dig for truth. (I also recommend Pakman’s second kids’ book called Think Like a Scientist .)

Rationality: What It Is, Why It Seems Scarce, Why It Matters , by Steven Pinker

The Harvard psychology professor Pinker tackles conspiracy theories head-on but also explores concepts involving risk/reward, probability and randomness, and correlation/causation. And if that strikes you as daunting, be assured that Pinker makes it lively and accessible.

How Minds Change: The Surprising Science of Belief, Opinion and Persuasion , by David McRaney

David is a science writer who hosts the popular podcast “You Are Not So Smart” (and his ideas are featured in A More Beautiful Question ). His well-written book looks at ways you can actually get through to people who see the world very differently than you (hint: bludgeoning them with facts definitely won’t work).

A Healthy Democracy's Best Hope: Building the Critical Thinking Habit , by M Neil Browne and Chelsea Kulhanek

Neil Browne, author of the seminal Asking the Right Questions: A Guide to Critical Thinking, has been a pioneer in presenting critical thinking as a question-based approach to making sense of the world around us. His newest book, co-authored with Chelsea Kulhanek, breaks down critical thinking into “11 explosive questions”—including the “priors question” (which challenges us to question assumptions), the “evidence question” (focusing on how to evaluate and weigh evidence), and the “humility question” (which reminds us that a critical thinker must be humble enough to consider the possibility of being wrong).

Warren Berger is a longtime journalist and author of A More Beautiful Question .

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Critical Thinking Skills in the Workplace

Critical thinking refers to the analysis and evaluation of different points to form a decision or judgment. Whether a person’s position in a company is a starting manager or a CEO , critical thinking skills in the workplace will always be an asset.

It’s a vital part of the success of a company. In order to make the best decisions, all employees must have the skills to think critically. So, what critical thinking skills are good for the workplace and how can we apply them?

Here are some of the things you can do develop critical thinking in the workplace:

Look at the problem and name the situation. Focus on the situation and evaluate all the available data given. Critical thinking involves being able to look at all the angles of an issue and evaluate properly.

Evaluation also means seeing the situation’s place in the bigger picture. How does this situation affect the company? Critical thinking isn’t just focusing on the situation; it’s being able to see the situation from all possible points of view, with the bigger picture in mind.

• Keep goals in mind

All companies may differ in terms of the goals that they have. One way of practicing critical thinking is to keep your company’s goal in mind. Don’t lose track of the ultimate objective.

Act upon that objective and make sure that all decisions that are going to be made are aligned with that. By keeping the goal in mind, the best solutions can be set up because we can make sure that all of those follows the company’s best interest.

• Look past biases

The only person who can tell his or her biases is the person itself. One way of improving critical thinking is by knowing your biases and looking past them. Decisions should always remain impartial and should always be in line with the company’s best interests and goals as aforementioned.

• Observe and ask questions

Another one of the crucial critical thinking skills in the workplace is the ability to not just accept something at face value. A critical thinker keeps an open mind about the situation. Remember that it’s important to see all possible point of views. You can do exactly that by asking questions and gathering more information! This is done in order to see all the angles people might be seeing.

Be open to points, suggestions, and further information presented by co-workers or employees. Always keep an open mind.

• Identify as many possible solutions as you can

Keeping an open mind about the situation also means keeping an open mind about the solutions. List all the possible solutions. Weigh them and find out the pros and cons of each one.

All actions have their corresponding consequences, so you need to know what entails each possible solution. For example, you may need to find out if the solutions are going to have long-term benefits or cause problems in the long run.

Don’t just be open to more information from employees and co-workers; be open to possible solutions from them as well.

• Narrow down the solutions

Now that the items in your list of solutions come with pros, cons, and possible consequences, the next thing to do is to shorten the list. Narrow it down to the best ones. Critical thinking involves finding a way to compromise and merge different solutions together to form the best one.

This will be able to practice rational decision making. Critical thinking heavily involves the ability to think rationally – take in all the possible solutions and from there look for the best ones.

• Decide on a solution and implement it

Critical thinking doesn’t simply involve thinking of a solution. It also involves making that decision and implementing it properly. After evaluating which in the list of solutions is the best one, implement it.

The implementation of the decided action is one of the ways to see if it really is the right decision. A critical thinker will see if the solution is working, if it’s not, put a stop to it and try a different choice of action.

One crucial critical thinking skill is learning from mistakes. If one decision doesn’t work as well as expected, don’t simply give up. Instead, keep looking for a decision that will suit the situation best.

• Accept and encourage feedback

A part of learning from mistakes is to acknowledge mistakes in the first place. Before we learn from them, we find out what they are first. So, encourage feedback from the people involved in the situation.

Accept lapses and know that not everyone thinks critically 24/7. No matter what position a person has in the company, he or she is still just a person. We all make mistakes.

What sets critical thinkers apart is that they accept mistakes and learn from them. Fail fast, learn even faster.

Listen to the feedback from the people around. Don’t be afraid to ask what can be done better next time? What can be changed?

That sums up some of the critical thinking skills in the workplace . So, how can we apply them?

One of the most important ways is to keep them in mind when making decisions. Often, people can become pressured by time, peers, and or the expectations set by bosses or the people who count on them.

An integral part of learning and applying these critical thinking skills in the workplace is by giving oneself the time to think. When faced with a decision that requires critical thinking, remember the skills needed.

Don’t make hasty decisions. Don’t decide just for the sake of deciding. Set time for thinking and absorbing all information. Evaluate, and follow the steps and skills outline in this article.

Critical thinking skills can be used in every position in a company, so it’s important to have all employees, team members, or workers to have these set of skills. Employers value those who have the ability to think critically, especially in times of need.

Whether you’re a CEO or a start-up manager, critical thinking is a skill that will be used for life. For companies to run smooth, the right decisions should be made thousands of times.

Developing critical thinking skills in the workplace creates better workers. Better workers mean better work. Better work means a better workplace.

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Unit of competency details

Bsbcrt311 - apply critical thinking skills in a team environment (release 1).

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Qualifications that include this unit, skill sets that include this unit, accredited courses that have this unit in the completion mapping, classifications, classification history.

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Unit of competency

Modification history, application, unit sector, elements and performance criteria, foundation skills.

• Uses questioning as a strategy to expand knowledge
• Reflects on existing thinking and current practices to generate new ideas
• Participates in a verbal exchange of ideas and elicits the view and opinions of others by listening and questioning
• Comprehends textual information and integrates ideas and concepts from various sources
• Documents observations and experiences related to problem solving
• Collaborates with others to test, strengthen and explore new ideas and different ways of thinking

Unit Mapping Information

Assessment requirements, performance evidence.

• generate and present solutions to a workplace problem on at least two occasions.
• identify and analyse workplace problems as part of a team
• develop questions on key challenges of a chosen problem
• consult relevant stakeholders to gather information on workplace problem
• use a range of creative thinking techniques as part of a team to generate ideas or responses to questions or issues
• use critical thinking processes to develop relevant questions and criteria for identified workplace issue
• present to relevant stakeholders and respond to answers
• assess feedback to identify key personal and team learnings.

Knowledge Evidence

• organisational and legislative frameworks
• advantages of different perspectives when asking questions
• critical thinking techniques
• applicable criteria to assess potential solutions to workplace issue
• boundaries to be considered when generating ideas and responses
• methods to develop individual critical and creative thinking skills.

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