Critical Thinking : The Art of Thinking
Critical Thinking is the skill you need to succeed in the era of Fourth Industrial Revolution, where physical world is combining with the science of bits.
What is Critical Thinking? Why we need in our daily life?
Critical thinking is the combination of Mindset and Applications(Tools).
Critical thinking always help you to evaluate and use of new information and make hard decision or better decision.
When we experience any problem, we always try to rush off towards solutions. We don’t think about the causes and symptoms.
Critical thinking is not only to cured the symptoms but also fix the root cause.
When you start critical thinking efforts, I’d like to draw an attention towards “Cause” and “Consequences”.
Cause: It is the evaluation of symptoms(problem) and finding the root cause.
Consequences: Its is the outcome of your critically thinking efforts. For example; When you implement the solution, What new problems will be created? What new symptoms will be caused?
If you want to identify the causes: Think Backward.
If you want to identify the consequences: Think Forward.
Here are some steps which help you to think critically.
1. Breaking down Big Problems
The first step of critical thinking is to break down your big problems into smaller ones.
Ask yourself;
What is the big problem composed of?
What small issues create the problems?
Let me illustrate this into steps;
1: Look at the big picture and try to understand the end result which fulfills your desire need.
2: Break into the smaller parts and arrange them in sequence.
3: Think logically, What should you do first, second, third, etc.?
4: Create a roadmap (timeline/deadline) to help you stay on track.
2. Define the Problem Statement
Problem Statement: It is the statement which identifies the gap between current state of process (problem) and desire state of process(goal).
“Problem statement also defines the endpoint of current state of process.”
With a problem statement, you’re not going to spend a lot of hours, work and don’t need to make excessive revisions.
Problem Statement contains:
- Outline Goals
- Chart Boundaries
- Define success criteria
- Determine constraints
- Articulate Assumptions
- Identify your partners
- Establish timeline.
3. Ask Questions
When you start critical thinking, I always recommend you to ask the question behind the question. When we’re asked to look into an issue we just rush off to solve the problem without considering the cause and consequences.
Try to answer every “WHY”.
Seek to understand “WHY” a solution is needed?
Ask “WHY” again.
By understanding the real question, with the help of critical thinking you will not try to solve the cause or symptoms, you will try solve the root cause of the problem.
New questions opens new answers, new ideas and new opportunities.
4. Try different lenses
By using different lenses is necessary to think critically. There are three different lenses which are;
- Can you change the POINT OF VIEW?
How is the problem defined from the perspective of the CEO? Of the worker? Of customers, of adjacent groups?
- Can you change the CONTEXT?
Can you re-imagine the problem in new ways? For example; Reconsider the problem in different functional groups of an organization.
- Can you change the REALITY?
Re analyze the process (situation), What if you remove that component or any other component? What happen if I eliminate this component. When you think to change the reality, new ideas, new opportunities will generate which is beneficial for your solution.
Now, you get a clear idea of how to think critically. Now I am going to tell you some methodology or tools for critical thinking.
Tool# 1: 5 WHY’s
5 whys always help you to find the root cause. Let me illustrate the above picture.
Problem : Ran through a red light.
1- Why : I am getting late for work.
2- Why : Because I woke up late.
3- Why : My alarm clock broke.
4- Why : I didn’t check my alarm clock.
5- Why : I forgot to do it last night. ==> Root Cause.
Tool# 2: 7 “So What”
Critical thinking always help you to focus on causes as well as consequences.
The 7 So What’s force you to go from an early answer to think through all the possible implications and future consequences of your action.
When you’re looking at making a recommendation, ask yourself so what, and ask seven times. The 7 “So What” encourage you to think in logical order, What will be the next recommendation? What should you do now?
Tool# 3: Pareto (80/20) Rule
The Pareto principle states that, for many events, roughly 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes. {source: Wikipedia.}
20% of what you do leads to 80% of your result. Do the 20% that matters and forget the rest.
You have too many problems to solve, and not enough time. I recommend you to use this method. It will help you to accomplish your objectives.
In the last, the summary of critical thinking is; Don’t rush off towards solution without having familiarity of causes and consequences, then generate the recommendation using the above mentioned tools. After this again analyze your data. Focus on the answers that matters. Then finalize your solution.
