Analytical Thinking exinfm（分析思维exinfm）.ppt

A Course on Analytical Thinking Course Outline Course Objectives Provide a fundamental understanding of how analytical thinking works Identify specific tools and techniques that consultants can use during the problem solving life cycle Give consultants a complete framework for managing project issues – from identification to resolution At the end of this session, participants should be able to…. Understand the systematic process of problem solving Define the issue as a starting point for your project Focus on the “drivers” behind your issue Know how to apply specific techniques, such as brainstorming, root cause analysis, and SWOT Know how to test your proposed solutions before submission to the client Know how to present viable solutions for solving critical problems OVERALL PROCESS Analytical Thinking follows the scientific approach to problem solving Defining the Problem Definition: A problem is a situation that is judged as something that needs to be corrected – implies that a state of wholeness does not exist Importance: It is our job to make sure we’re solving the right problem – it may not be the one presented to us by the client. What do we really need to solve? Basic Concepts: Most of the problems are initially identified by our clients Defining the problem clearly improves focus – it drives the analytical process Getting to a clearly defined problem is often discovery driven – Start with a conceptual definition and through analysis (root cause, impact analysis, etc.) you shape and redefine the problem in terms of issues Formulating the Hypotheses Definition: Hypothesis is a tentative explanation for an observation that can be tested (i.e. proved or disproved) by further investigation Importance: Start at the end - Figuring out the solution to the problem, i.e. hypothesizing, before you start will help build a roadmap for approaching the problem Basic Concepts: Hypotheses can be expressed as possible root causes of the problem Breaking down the