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https://github.com/devamoghs/critical-thinking


https://github.com/devamoghs/critical-thinking

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README 

          
# critical-thinking



### Evaluate the cause -

1. look at the symptom that is problematic. 

2. Then figure out the real reason it's happening. 

3. Come at the possible symptom from different perspective.

4. Once you generate the recommendation.

5. Stop and think critically what new problems could be caused if we were to implement that recommendation.



1.When you go about solving a problem, think backwards about the causes, think forward about the consequences 

2.Look at the causes and think backwards to make sure that you are not solving the symptoms, but solving the problem.



### Breaking bigger problems into smaller pieces

1. What is the big problem composed of ?

2. Which are the smaller issues that are driving the big problem ?



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### Pop Quiz

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##### You start on a new project that seems very similar to previous work you've done. You immediately dive in and proceed as you have done before. Why is your bold start probably a mistake?

###### You should take time to think critically about the scope of the project.

Issues such as identifying stakeholders, information sources, bottlenecks, and lag times should be clarified.



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##### When do you know that you have broken down a problem sufficiently?

###### when solutions begin to become obvious

When a problem becomes small, it often becomes simple.



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#### Your team has completed writing recommendations for solving a major problem in your business unit. How can you make implementation go smoothly?

##### by anticipating unintended consequences

The recommendations may cause more problems than they solve.



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#### Why do people tend to rush off and start solving the problem without understanding causes and consequences first?

##### It makes them feel like they're being responsive to stakeholders.

While it's great to want to be responsive to stakeholders, they're more interested in seeing you solve the true root causes, rather than just getting busy with problem solving.



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### Define the problem statement -

#### The problem statement defines what is the destination where we can say the project was a success.



#### What is a problem statement composed of ?

1. Outline the goals

2. Set the boundaries on the problem solving space

3. Define the success criteria

4. Acknowledge the constraints bound to the problem

5. Spell out the assumptions attached with the problem

6. Identify the stakeholders for which the problem statement is solved

7. Establish the timelines



#### Understand the real question

1. Seek to understand why a solution is needed.

2. Understand from a stakeholder perspective what consequences will the problem have, if it persists

3. Avoid solving the symptoms and try to identify the problem. This way you could come out with the most valuable recommendation



### Ask the focussing questions

1. What is the real question ?

2. Who are the stakeholders ?

3. How will you measure success ?

4. What is the scope of the problem ?

5. What are the constraints you are facing ?



### Examining past efforts

1. Was this problem addressed in the past ?

2. What is different now vs. then ?

3. Were there any challenges last time this was addressed that we need to think about now ?

4. What are the assumptions that are limiting us ?

5. Who were involved with this problem the last time ?



### Using new lenses to think critically

1. Can we change the point of view ?

2. Can we change the context ?

3. Can you change reality ?



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### Pop Quiz

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#### Focusing questions help you _____ a problem space.

##### bound

Focusing questions help you define the problem space and put boundaries on it. Without boundaries, your problem solving will be unfocused and inefficient



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#### You have a very efficient and reliable team member on your team, but they are infamous for treating symptoms rather than root causes. What is the likely outcome of using their quick assistance?

##### Any fix provided will be short-lived.

The team will likely have to live with undesirable and unintended consequences.



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#### Causality involves digging down to uncover root causes as well as considering the _____ of potential solutions.

##### consequences

Exactly. You must consider the consequences of your solution. If you don't, you risk creating more problems for yourself.



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#### Your manager asks you to examine a new operational problem from the point of view of a customer. You are not clear on where to begin. How can you make a quick start on this task?

##### by interviewing a few customers

This is the most direct way to get insight into another point of view.



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#### Your team is being asked to revisit a project that they completed three years ago. Which question should they address to clarify the problem definition?

##### What circumstances have changed since three years ago?

In order to best understand the problem, you need to understand how the situation has evolved.



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### Challenge how the business runs

Assess how does the following operate :



+  **Business model** 

1. what is your market and strategy ?

2. how would you restart the whole thing all over ?

3. how do you plan to double the top metric in a time frame of next two years ?



+  **Revenue** 

1. how do you expand the prodcuts, pricing, geography, reach ?

2. who is creating better customer value than what we can ?

3. how would you triple your profits in the timeframe of next five years ?  



+ **Cost** 

1. how do you reduce the drag of business ?

2. How you operate your business with 2/3 of the current human resources ?

3. How would you eliminate your job ?



### How would you eliminate your job

1. What work should you stop doing ?

2. What work should you delegate to other members of the team ?

3. What work could you automate ?



1. What is the most wasteful activity we do as an organisation ?

2. What is stopping us from stopping that ?



### Using the five whys of critical thinking

Asking the five whys will lead you to insight



### Answering the seven so-whats of critical thinking

This is a thinking tool that reveals the consequence of an action. It will lead you to all the implications and future consequences of an action



### Using the 80 / 20 rule

What are the major drivers of the impact ? We want to chase the 20% of the drivers creating 80% of the impact.

* So, look at whatever problem you're trying to solve, understand what the drivers are, and understand how much each driver contributes to the overall impact you're trying to have. 

* Spend your time solving for those issues, the ones that have a disproportionate impact on the metric you're trying to move. 

* It'll be a much more efficient use of your time, and you're going to solve the biggest problems your organization faces first.



### How to do the conduct analysis

+ **High Road** - how does the analysis i am doing tied to that problem ?

1. What am i prvong or disproving with the data i am analysing ?

2. Estimate the benefits of the analysis before you start pulling data ?

3. Will this analysis have an impact ?

4. Does the answer I have achieved tie to the recommendation I am making ?



+ **Low Road** - is the deep analysis you are going to do

1. Run only the numbers you need to run.

2. Gather the data which is aligned with the scope of your problem.

3. Dont stay in the data too long. Get in and get out of the data quickly. (Don't polish the dirt)

4. Focus on the answers that matters.



### Implications of your answer

 * Look for links between the problems to come up with better solutions.

 * So when you look at your answers that are coming out of your problem solving processes, think critically about those answers. 

 * What connections can you make to other situations? 

 * What can you learn from other problems you've solved and how can you apply those learnings to the problem you're trying to solve now? 

 * By thinking critically, you may unlock some great opportunities you never would have considered before. 

#### That extra time to go one more step beyond the easy answer the analysis gives you and ask what does this mean for the broader problem may help you create one of the best opportunities out there that you get to very efficiently and very effectively.



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### Your colleague advocates for solving the easiest problems first. You advocate applying the 80/20 rule. When would your approaches agree?

#### when the easy problems have major impacts

In this instance, solving simple problems would have a large impact.



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### Vilfredo Pareto, the author of the 80/20 rule, observed this rule to be in effect in both _____ and _____.

#### real estate; gardening

Pareto noticed that land ownership in Italy and peas in his garden both demonstrated the law of the vital few, which is the 80/20 rule. That rule states that a small number of causes have a large impact on the overall result.



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### Why is asking repeated "whys" useful?

#### It enables you to get to root causes and a basic understanding of the true problem.

Asking repeated "whys" permits you to get past jargon and lazy thinking.



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### You just completed your analysis for a project and have your initial recommendation completed. After validating your results, what is the best next step you should take?

#### compare your results with other unrelated projects to see if new insights emerge

Looking for similarities between unrelated areas can generate interesting new insights.



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### Teach others to think critically



1. Teach them these tools of critical thinking.

2. Create opportunities for them to practice these tools.

3. Coach your team in using these tools. Don't just focus on generating the answers but making them understand the applications.

4. Hold them accountable when using these tools everyday.



### Common pitfalls when solving problems



+ **Jumping to answers too quickly** You can avoid this pitfall by

1. Defining the problem statement

2. Ask and answer focusing questions

3. Evaluate the prior efforts

4. Look at the problem through new lenses

5. Understand causality



+ **Unwilling to expand problem space** You can avoid this pitfall by

1. Blowing up the business

2. Asking the five whys



+ **Focussing on things that are unimportant** You can avoid this pitfall by

1. The 80/20 rule



+ **Accepting the results at face value** You can avoid this pitfall by

1. Take the high road

2. Look for similarities



+ **Not thinking through future consequences** You can avoid this pitfall by

1. Seven So Whats



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### You have a team member who is a bit inflexible; they are prone to doing their job without much reflection and they do not like change. Which pitfalls likely impact their critical thinking?

#### being unwilling to change the problem space, and failing to consider implications

Both of these pitfalls are related to their unwillingness to change, and their dislike of analyzing results.



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### Defining a clear problem statement can help you avoid this common pitfall.

#### jumping to answers too quickly

A good problem definition prevents you from jumping to conclusions too fast. It forces you to consider all elements of a problem before you move off to generating solutions.



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### You present your boss with an analysis and recommended actions for the employee retention program. Your boss asks what might happen in six months if you make these changes. You don't have an answer so your boss sends you away. What have you forgotten?

#### to examine the consequences of your analysis

Making recommendations is not a good idea, unless the consequences are thoroughly examined.



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### How to apply critical thinking to everyday life ?



1. Identify a problem

2. Break the problem into smaller sub-problems

3. Create a problem statement

4. Look for the new solutions

5. Focus on the meaningful ones