what is critical thinking in project management

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• The Project Manager’s Guide to Critical Thinking Skills

Remember playing the game Clue as a kid? You’d collect evidence, analyze the possibilities, and come to your own conclusions based on what you knew (and what you didn’t). As a project manager, the skills you developed playing games like Clue are extremely useful. The acting gatekeeper for your team, you’re used to evaluating information and making decisions to benefit your department and the business as a whole. Whether you’re a seasoned project manager or just learning the ropes, knowing how to fine-tune your critical thinking skills will come in handy every single day.

Continue reading to learn: 

• A definition of critical thinking
• The six critical skills project managers need
• Why critical thinking skills are crucial for project managers
• How to work your critical thinking muscles
• Effective critical thinking techniques

Let’s get critical. 

What is critical thinking?

Ask five different people what critical thinking means and you’ll probably get five different answers. But, generally speaking, critical thinking refers to intellectual tactics used to observe and analyze information to draw better conclusions. A key factor in critical thinking is looking beyond the surface of an idea, a concept, or a piece of information. It involves asking questions — to yourself or others — to go deeper and draw better conclusions.

Critical thinking can be used by anyone, in any role, to make their job easier. You can find new insights, optimize an inefficient process, and get projects done faster. Developing your critical thinking means building habits that follow you throughout your career.

Here’s a breakdown of crucial critical thinking skills for project managers — or any other role.

6 critical thinking skills for project managers

Skill #1: observation.

Critical thinking skills starts with being more aware of what’s going on. Working on an important project? Being observant might mean keeping a close eye on comments from collaborators, or just paying better attention during meetings with your data team. Becoming a more observant person means you can identify problems others miss or pick up on context clues that help you solve problems down the road.

Skill #2: Analysis

Spotting problems, clues, and that one important comment in a Slack thread is just the beginning. If observation is how you bring in more information, analysis is how you determine what you’re going to do with it. Having an analytical approach to your problems means knowing what information you have available, knowing how relevant each piece is to the problem at hand, and being able to ask better questions. 

Skill #3: Identifying bias

This critical thinking skill ties in closely with analysis but is important enough to be its own skill. Bias is inherent in everything we do, from collecting data to creating content and solving problems. For instance, because this blog post is being written by a marketer, it might use different examples than a writer from a more technical team. You can spot a bias by asking yourself questions, like “are there elements of this person’s experience or perspective that might be affecting what they’re saying?” Bias can affect every role in an organization.

Skill #4: Inference

This is a fancy term for drawing better conclusions. This crucial critical thinking skill helps you make better use of the information you collect, the questions you ask, and the potential problems you spot. Think of everything you might have done so far as putting ingredients in a stew. You can have the best ingredients in the world, but if you leave the pot on too long, you’ll end up with something closer to charcoal than stew.

One of the quickest ways to improve your inference skills is, ironically, by slowing down. Instead of blurting out the first conclusion that comes to mind, start with a few educated guesses, and compare them to each other. Which one makes the most sense? Which is weakest?

Skill #5: Problem-solving

If inference is how you come to better conclusions, problem-solving is how you put them into action. This critical thinking skill encompasses the tactics and strategies you use to take something that looks good on paper and make it great in practice. Problem-solving includes  planning  how you’ll solve a problem, but also reacting to hurdles along the way and staying flexible. A great way to improve your problem-solving skills is asking yourself “is this still the best way to solve the problem?” at every stage of your plan. Sometimes, people can get set in their ways, meaning they stick to an ineffective solution long after they should have pivoted to something else.

Skill #6: Curiosity

This is less a skill than it is a characteristic every critical thinker should work to develop. Every other critical thinking skill is helped by broadening having access to more information and more knowledge. For instance, you can be the most observant person in the world, but you’d still struggle to pick out all the problems in a presentation from the data team if you weren’t at least a little familiar with data analysis. Beyond expertise in specific fields, critical thinking — and thinking in general — is easier when you have a breadth of knowledge and experiences to draw from. You can find links that others would miss and learn to think in different ways. Read more books, listen to more podcasts, and approach the world at large with more curiosity.

Why do project managers need critical thinking skills? 

When people hear the phrase ‘critical thinking’, they often picture a negative person. Being a critical thinker doesn’t mean you have a bad attitude or that you aren’t a team player. It’s quite the opposite. 

Critical thinking means questioning processes, projects, and even core business practices that are widely accepted as given. Not to tear them down, but to improve them for the benefit of the entire team. 

The Project Management Institute (PMI) outlines how important this skill is: 

“Corporate leaders have put critical thinking at the top of the list of essential competencies needed by their workers to understand these challenges, explore opportunities, and make good decisions in this new competitive environment.” 

When used in the context of project management, effective critical thinking can: 

• Encourage deeper, more  productive discussions
• Facilitate open communication between team members 
• Resolve issues between team members and stakeholders more quickly
• Develop better solutions to problems 
• Reduce stress throughout a project 
• Prevent repetitive issues
• Achieve better results faster 

Now that you know why critical thinking skills are priority for project managers, it’s time to find out how you can improve yours.

How project managers can develop better critical thinking skills 

There’s one core principle that will guide your critical thinking: question everything. Project managers can’t just approve all requests that come in from stakeholders across the organization — unless they want a stressed-out, overworked team.

A good project manager knows how to prioritize projects according to the business’ overall needs and goals. With every request that comes in, you need to be prepared to evaluate the project’s impact on the business, the necessity of the project, and the why. Building this process — this instinct — into your daily work is how you build and strengthen your critical thinking skills.

For every potential project, consider: 

• Why is this important right now? While most stakeholders will say their project is urgent, you need to find out exactly how true this is. Perhaps the project could be scheduled for a later date that works better for your team’s schedule. 
• Why does my team need to be involved? For example, if you manage the creative team and a request for a sales presentation comes in, figure out exactly what your team will need to do.
• Why is my team’s time better spent on this project than other projects? Does this project contribute more to the business than other work your team could be doing? 

Those are three important questions to ask yourself, but what about the questions you ask others?

When a new project lands in your inbox, you need to know what to ask of the sender and how to delicately frame those questions. There are a few question formats that work especially well for this stage of the project. These include:

• ‘tell me more’ questions (eg. Tell me more about what will be required from each member of my team)
• ‘help me understand’ questions (eg. Help me understand why this project is urgent)
• ‘can you give me an example’ questions (eg. Can you give me an example of the types of results you’re looking for here?). 

These questions allow you to get a better understanding of the project and make sure it’s a good fit for your team. They’re also usually well-received by whoever initiated the project.

Prioritization means making tough calls, and project managers need to be ready and equipped to do so. You can’t be afraid to say no when the project doesn’t make sense from a timing or business standpoint. However, you will also need to be ready to explain the reasoning behind your “no”. The following techniques will help you feel confident in your decisions and authority as a project manager. 

Critical thinking techniques for project managers 

Critical thinking skills are one thing, but when evaluating the priority of a new project, there are critical thinking techniques you can put into practice to boost results and team morale. 

• Avoid making or accepting assumptions 
• Identify potential issues (and their consequences) from the start
• Use the Five Whys to find the root of problems 

Let’s dive into these a little bit more. 

1. Avoid assumptions 

You know what they say about assuming things. When you make assumptions as a project manager, you’re missing out on and ignoring key information that could make or break your project. You can have the best critical thinking skills in the office, but making the wrong assumption can undo all your hard work.

A big part of critical thinking is digging into reasoning and probing for evidence rather than drawing your own immediate conclusions. When you’re pitched a new project — and during the course of the entire project — question any preconceived notions (yours or theirs). Ensure you’re given concrete evidence for the viability of the project, and look for any holes in the process or strategy that could impact your team. 

When challenging assumptions, consider the following questions: 

• Am I assuming all members of this project have all the information they need to complete their tasks?
• What assumptions am I making about each team members’ skill sets? 
• Am I making assumptions about each team member’s time and availability? 
• What are some possible issues that may arise with this project? How can I work backwards and challenge any assumptions in order to avoid these issues? 
• What assumptions have I made about the stakeholder or project creator? What do they need to know? 

Never take anything for granted. When your job is to facilitate and manage expectations, it’s important that you’re questioning and challenging your own assumptions — and those of team members and stakeholders — at all stages of the process. 

2. Consider potential issues 

When you’re questioning assumptions, you’re also working towards another big part of your job: risk management. By proactively questioning what could go wrong, you can prepare for any issues that might arise during the course of the project. Not only that, but you can consider the implications and consequences of when things go awry. 

Consider a cause and effect approach with hypothetical — but realistic — issues. Give yourself an hour to write down any possible issues that could arise with the project, along with a list of consequences associated with each one. For example: 

• Problem : The video editor won’t have enough time to deliver the final file. 
• Consequence : The rest of the project will be held up. Costs will increase and we could miss the deadline.  

In a perfect world, project managers wouldn’t face any problems and all projects would be smooth sailing. Since that’s unfortunately not the case, here are some helpful tools you can use to avoid the escalation of issues — as well as repeating roadblocks with future projects.

3. Use the Five Whys

In addition to the “why” questions outlined above, a proven project management technique called “The Five Whys” can help you explore the true cause or causes of any problem. 

Here’s how ProjectManagement.com explains it: 

“5 Whys is an iterative elicitation method used to explore cause-and-effect relationships underlying a particular problem. The primary goal of the technique is to determine the root cause of a defect or problem by repeating the question ‘Why?’. Each answer forms the basis of the next question.” 

To complete The Five Whys, you simply repeat the question “why?” five times until you come to the root of the problem. Each answer is understood to be a “contributing cause” that impacts the final result. 

For example: 

• Because multiple teams weren’t able to complete their tasks on time (contributing cause). 
• Because their time wasn’t prioritized properly (contributing cause). 
• Because multiple last-minute projects were assigned (contributing cause). 
• Because other stakeholders didn’t understand the prioritization and project assignment process (contributing cause). 
• Because they haven’t been properly trained or given the necessary information (root cause). 

Once you get to the root of the problem, you can take action to ensure these issues are minimized or avoided in the future. 

For project managers, sometimes taking a moment to just stop and consider all of the possibilities, consequences, and information can make all the difference between a well-thought-out decision and a future regret. Developing and exercising your critical thinking skills is a surefire way to drive positive business results.

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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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Critical Thinking Skills and activities for Project Managers

Weaving critical thinking into your projects

Brought to You by Dave Litten

CRITICAL THINKING IS A CORE SKILL OF SUCCESSFUL PROJECT MANAGERS

Think back to how project management is applied. Activities, methods, processes, procedures and techniques only go so far... Think about planning, monitoring and control.

Think about estimating and identifying risk respnses

Think about project strategies and approaches

Think about project controls

Think about delivery approaches

ALL of the above, and more, depend 100% upon Critical Thinking.

Think You Can Do WITH Critical Thinking?

Critical Thinking Skills and activities for Project Managers Critical thinking is for everyone yet few are able or willing to do it. Critical thinking is a set of transferable skills that can be learned for one thing yet equally useful for any other. Critical thinking cuts across all academic disciplines and is applicable in all spheres of human activity - particularly project management where it becomes a toolbox for driving both career and project success. So what are the key activities, abilities and attributes of a critical thinker? Analytical skills Like any one skilled in debate, critical thinkers demand properly constructed arguments that presents reasons and more sound conclusions Tolerance Critical thinkers delight in hearing diversion views and enjoy a real debate Confidence This is key since critical thinkers must be confident and able to examine views made by others, often those in authority Curiosity This is the essential ingredient for ideas and insights Truth seeking The critical thinkers are looking for objective truth even if it turns out to undermine their own previously held convictions and long cherished beliefs and even if this goes against their own self interest "There goes another beautiful theory about to be murdered by a gang of facts" You need to learn how to identify other peoples arguments and conclusions and go on to interpret and produce your argument more effectively. This means you will want to read between the lines, see behind services and identify false assumptions. To be successful as a project manager it is vital that you apply critical thinking within the planning, monitoring, and control of your projects

The Soft Stuff Matters

Critical thinking skills is the backbone to Critical Decision-making, which in and of itself, leads to successful change management and project delivery success. But don´t take my word for it…just listen to The Project Management Institute (PMI), and their Project Management Body Of Knowledge (PMBOK) 6th Edition now includes The Talent Triangle:

Check out the “technical, strategic and business management bits above…these cannot be learned by rote alone.

See, Critical Thinking Skills is about a range of skills and understandings – the kind of open-mindedness that allows you to make creative leaps and gain insights.

Get this...

Demand over the next 10 years for project managers is growing faster than demand for workers in other occupations. Organizations, however, face risks from this talent gap.

This talent gap analysis shows that project managers are important contributors to productivity. Talent shortages in the profession can potentially create risks of nearly $208 billion in GDP over the next 10-year period up to 2028

The latest PMI-commissioned talent gap analysis has found outstanding opportunities in jobs and career growth for project managers.

From the present day up to 2028, the project management skills and jobs are expected to grow by 33 percent, or nearly 22 million new jobs.

By 2027, employers will need nearly 88 million individuals in project management-oriented roles

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What has this to do with Critical Thinking Skills and activities for Project Managers?

To answer this, we need to look again at the life-skills of critical thinking…

Critical thinking Questions - The Assertibility Question (AQ) This weeds out wobbly views having shaky evidence from sensible theories that are worth serious consideration. To use AQ you ask what evidence allows you to assert that the claim is true.

This will include questions such as:

• Does the idea fit well with common sense or is it crazy?
• Who proposed the idea, and is the person biased towards it being true?
• Have statistics been used and presented in an honest way, and are they backed up with references to other work that supports the approach?
• Does the idea explain too much — or too little — to be useful?
• Have they been open about their methods and data?
• How many artificially decided settings are there that constrain and affect the theory?

Every day we are bombarded by problems and situations needing to be evaluated and solved.

The challenge is to view these from different perspectives and all too often we make decisions only based on previous similar situations or experiences.

This can lead to cloudy decision-making since we are often affected by emotional thinking, poorly prioritized facts and external influences that may not be relevant.

Then compare and contrast this with critical thinking which builds a rational and open minded process built upon information and empirical evidence.

Critical Thinking Skills Definition:

“ an intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information that has been gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication ”

Critical thinking provides the skills to judge and evaluate situations that is based on understanding the related data. It is analyzed to build a clear understanding of the problem, a proper solution identified, and then to take actions based on that solution.

The power of the critical thinking process is that it prevents our minds from jumping directly to conclusions, and instead, leads the mind through a set of logical steps to widen the range of perspectives, to accept the findings, sidestep personal biases, and consider reasonable possibilities.

Critical Thinking - The 6 Basic Steps

To determine what are the critical thinking questions, here are the six basic steps:

Step 1. Knowledge Here, we need a clear vision, starting with identifying the argument or the problem that needs to be resolved. Open questioning is used to acquire a deep understanding about the problem or situation. This involves the use of open ended questioning to discuss and explore the main reasons or root causes. A clear understanding must be obtained of what the problem is and why do we need to solve it. Step 2. Comprehension You need to fully understand the situation along with the facts that align and support it. The way in which you collect such facts will depend upon the research methods used, and this in turn will depend upon the problem, the type of data and information available, and any constraints. Step 3. Application This is the next practical step following comprehension, and builds to fully understand the different facts and resources needed to solve the problem. Mind maps are helpful here to analyze the situation while building a strong relationship between it and the core problem while resolving the best way to move forward. Step 4. Analyze This step builds on the information and linkages identified from the main problem, and analysis to close to identify the strong and weak points plus the challenges faced one identifying a solution to the problem. The main causes are prioritized to determine how they can be applied, and one of the most often used tools here to analyze the problem and those circumstances that surround it, is the cause and effect diagram, which isolates the problem from its root causes and identifies such causes so that they can be categorized on their type an impact on the problem. Step 5. Synthesis Once the problem has been fully analyzed and the related data has been considered, a decision needs to be taken how the problem can be solved along with the initial set of actions required. If there are several identified solutions, then each should be evaluated and prioritized to identify the best solution approach. It is here that SWOT analysis can be helpful in identifying the solutions strength, weakness, opportunity, and threats.

SWOT Analysis

If they are to interpret and use the SWOT analysis, the project can form the strategy based on the following factors:

• ​​ ​​ Strength vs. opportunity . The strategies or approaches build on the available existing strengths and how they may be used to leverage existing or new opportunities
• ​​ ​​ Weaknesses vs. opportunities. This strategies suggest ways of overcoming existing weaknesses while building new potential opportunities
• ​​ ​​ Strengths vs. threats. These strategies identify approaches to build on the organization, product, or project strengths while reducing threats and risk to the main objectives.
• ​​ ​​ Weaknesses vs. threats. These are strategies designed to prevent such weaknesses from the influenced by external threats.

Step 6. Take Action The final step is to build a problem valuation that can be put into action, as the final result of critical thinking should be transferred into actionable steps. Within a project, a plan of action should be implemented to ensure that the solution is adopted and implemented as planned. Summary The critical thinking method is used to replace the emotions and biases when dealing with a situation or a problem. The advantage of using critical thinking is its contribution to widening perspectives about situations and providing a broader range of action choices to ensure that the decided resolution is implemented and integrated between all the involved individuals and organizations.

Critical Thing Tools

The Cause and Effect Diagram

The cause and effect diagram is helpful when exploring problems and their solution:

How to solve problems using the cause and effect diagram The cause and effect diagram is also known as the Ishikawa diagram or fishbone diagram. For its successful use, a clear problem definition is first needed so that the proper solution can be targeted.

Additionally, the root causes behind the problem must also be carefully analysed. The Ishikawa diagram has two main sections, causes on the left hand side, and effect on the right-hand side.

Possible problem causes are thought through by creating branches from the line that links cause and effect. This type of diagram has a focus on solving problems rather than exploring ideas which is normally the case when applying critical thinking skills. The headings used to brainstorm the various problem causes, can vary from industry to industry, and as an example here are typical cause headings for three industries:

• The service industry. S urrounding, S uppliers, S ystems, S kills, and S afety
• The manufacturing industry.   M achine, M ethod, M aterial, M anpower, and M easurement
• The marketing industry. P roduct, P rice, P lace, P romotion, P eople, P rocess, and P hysical evidence

There are four steps to create the Fishbone diagram:

• 1 Identify the problems. The defects, or problem, results from one or several causes, for these reasons the problem must be clearly identified so that potential related causes can be investigated
• 2 A straight horizontal line should be drawn as a link between cause and effect, so that general causes such as the three cause models mentioned above can be drawn as branches from this main line
• 3 ​ Once the main general categories have been added, all possible causes for the problem can now be investigated and organized under the general categories
• 4 The final step is to investigate and discuss each possible cause and organize them in priority and influence order

Critical Thinking and Mind Mapping Mind mapping is a tool to help understand ideas and collaboration. Those who use Mind mapping for critical thinking can improve their productivity by 25%. It is also used to support the project management process and can easily be integrated when performing project management planning. I include here an excellent example (not my own) showing how the use of diagrams and colors help convey easily identified and remembered relationships. As stated at the center of this diagram, this is an example of brainstorming the various elements of time management:

Critical Thinking  - Real World Example

Here at Projex Academy, we have the market leader in online streaming training the world´s project management community. Our Flagship training course is for the PRINCE2 Methodology. First, I generated a Mind map on the structure and application of the PRINCE2 Methodology, then I performed root cause analysis to determine customer-demand potential training spin-offs. This resulted in created TWO new products - BOTH of which are UNIQUE to the project management training industry. They are:

• PRINCE2  SCRUM Masterclass for fast-to-market and high ROI projects
• PRINCE2 Lite for tailoring and blending smaller projects

Both have been selling like hot cakes since their launch a few months back - click on their images below to find out more... THANK YOU Critical Thinking!

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What is the Role of Critical Thinking in Project Management?

Every individual has their biases, and project managers are no exception. However, thinking critically and recognising your biases are essential to have a successful project. So, what is the role of critical thinking in project management?

Critical thinking allows separating facts and real options from speculations, opinions and wishful thinking when making decisions in project management. Critical thinking recognises biases in you and other stakeholders, enabling rational reasoning to achieve optimal project outcomes.

From the top answer, it is clear that we all have biases, but it is tough to recognise them for any individual. It requires a separate sit down with yourself and objective self-analysis. However, what could help in this process is the list of biases that each of us may have. 

We will discuss more in-depth critical thinking and what it takes in the post. I will share top biases and apply them to project management experience. 

Hopefully, by the end of the post, I and you will be more self-aware and will be able to make more rational decisions in your teams and organisations. Plus, we should recognise the same biases in other stakeholders and enhance our stakeholder management skills.

What is Critical Thinking?

It is pretty hard to define critical thinking as it covers multiple aspects of communication, analysis, decision-making, and addressing biases. My best definition would sound like this:

Critical thinking is finding and understanding facts to make a decision. The goal is to be as rational as possible, critically evaluate situations and information to stay rational and find the best options. 

There is no university where you can genuinely learn critical thinking. Plus, traditionally, courses will teach or imply a linear thinking and problem-solving process, which is far from reality, trust me! Life is much messier. Later in the post, we will discuss hacks and tools you can use to bring more clarity to your complex thought process, but it will not be perfect either. However, it is the best we have.

Furthermore, you cannot be perfect at critical thinking either as it requires you to be perfectly unbiased, which is impossible for a human being. Yes, there are courses, posts like mine and similar information we discuss today, which will help to have a good background. 

Still, the best school you will have is life with actual complex grey situations, where a straightforward decision is not clear. You will need to learn through: 

• Self-direction 
• Self-discipline 
• Self-monitoring
• Self-corrective as you might not know the right decision immediately. 

It is part of effective communication and problem-solving abilities, which prioritise logic rather than herd mentality or consensus. Plus, to help you on the way, we will look into the top 10 biases affecting project managers.

Why Do Project Managers Need Critical Thinking Skills?

Projects are complex affairs with multiple stakeholders who have their interests in mind and opinions. Plus, you will never have complete information about the future and will have to make various assumptions. Unfortunately, you cannot hope to have a successful project based on opinions and unclarified assumptions. Therefore, we would want to improve our odds of success by thinking on our feet and filtering opinions from facts and evaluating data accurately.

Sometimes people associate critical thinking with being critical of something or someone. However, that is not the case, as we merely clarify the situation through open discussion or rational thought processes.

Critical thinking could help by encouraging more comprehensive discussions between the team and stakeholders by addressing biases and understanding bases for particular preferences and opinions. Eventually, with the understanding situation better, you can find a more suitable and faster solution for a problem. In the process, reduce stress and drama, preventing repeating issues, improving timelines.

It would help if you aimed to critically think about your projects’ planning, monitoring, and control. These stages usually have more assumptions, expectations and estimation challenges. 

We will learn how to improve our critical thinking by asking the right questions in the first place and addressing our biases. But before that, let’s understand objectives for the project manager and critical thinking.

What Is Project Manager’s Objective with Applying Critical Thinking?

The ultimate objective is, of course, to deliver the project on time, within budget and with the correct scope elements. However, to achieve that, we need to apply critical thinking and mitigate several unknowns.

First, we would like to clarify risks & issues as well as assumptions. Applying critical thinking techniques and thought processes may allow us to extract that information from stakeholders. 

Second, we need to make sure that our messages are unambiguous. People have biases and beliefs; the last thing we need is misinterpretation and hurdles from various stakeholders. Critical thinking can help with refining communication. 

Third, we need to understand how various decisions at points in time affect the project’s outcome. Also, it is not enough just to trust your expertise and intuition, but you really need to get others involved in the conversation. Critical thinking might help with your personal biases and trail of thought that would give a better view of the impact.

What Are Top Qualities of Critical Thinkers?

To become a critical thinker, you need a combination of self-reflection, an inquisitive approach, and several techniques to help you in your rational ways.

1. Enhance Analytical Skills to Become Better Critical Thinker

As we try to be more logical, analytical skills are essential. As a project manager or business analyst, the good news is that you have those in abundance. You only need to utilise them. Well analysed situation or constructed argument to follow a specific direction could save a project from wasted resources. 

2. Being Tolerant to Become Better Critical Thinker

One way to protect yourself from biases or narrow views is to ask others to share their opinions. However, you might not always like what you hear. Probably, it is a good thing as it will be something different from your current ideas. Be open-minded and tolerant of others, and you might uncover some of your biases, which could save your project.

3. Critical Thinkers Need to be Confident

When you are trying to be critical in your thought process, you need to consider various stakeholders, even senior ones. You might disagree with them, and you need to be confident to consider those views and challenge them if you think they may negatively impact the project.

4. Curiosity Helps to be a Critical Thinker

If you would like to learn about different perspectives or understand broader pictures and situations, you need to be interested. If you are not, you are unlikely to seek those answers and will just follow the status quo. A bit of curiosity might give you a more rounded solution.

5. Critical Thinkers Need to be Truth-seekers 

The goal of critical thinking is not to be correct. It is about finding what is the truth even if it proves that you are wrong. One excellent quality of the leader is to admit when they are wrong. You will command the respect of your colleagues and probably get a better result for the organisation.

6. Constructing A Good Argument to become a Critical Thinker

We discuss a lot about thinking and listening to others, but you also need to influence the project. When you have uncovered facts and options, you need to learn to construct your arguments clearly, based on facts. Also, that includes considering other stakeholders’ points so you can adapt your message.

What Are Challenges with Critical Thinking in Projects?

Time constraints for critical thinking in projects.

Critical thinking is hard work and requires time. Projects tend to be a fast-paced environment with multiple deadlines, meetings and deliverables. Sometimes you do not have time for all those second opinions, inputs from stakeholders or complex thought processes. Although you should sometimes prioritise logic and reason, you end up going with your experience, a.k.a. “gut feeling”.

Senior Stakeholders Is A Challenge For Critical Thinking

Sometimes senior stakeholders do not like to be questioned or challenged. So even if you have identified a bias in stakeholders’ thought processes, it is hard to change their opinion, which could cost the project. Having one-to-one conversations, presenting facts and figures, or testing results if we choose stakeholders’ paths might help adjust their views.

Unrealistic Expectations Hurst Critical Thinking

Unrealistic expectations could be due to several stakeholder biases in the project. They might think that a particular solution will solve all their problems or that the project can be delivered in half of the required time. When individuals have those expectations, it is tough to have logical discussions on project deliverables as they might think it is a waste of time even to start the project. It is essential to identify those early so you can begin preparing a communication plan to address them.

Misunderstanding International Teams or Processes

Misunderstanding is common in projects that are run internationally. Different cultures might interpret input or output unexpectedly. Also, you can have stakeholders who may not appreciate all the processes involved in various project activities. 

It will be hard to think critically as a group in both cases. You want to spend additional time explaining context, highlighting complex scenarios/efforts and clarifying expectations and definitions. 

Challenging Norms is Difficult

It is hard to challenge existing norms and asking the question, “Why”. You might feel silly to challenge experts or group thinking. However, the confidence to ask those questions allows getting a different perspective. It is not easy, but often part of the project manager and business analyst job.

Lack of Knowledge 

A project can have a particular domain which is new to you. It would help if you read up about it, but sometimes it is not enough. Trying to wing it will not be the right approach as you cannot have a rational, considered point of view without understanding. It is reasonable to get outside help, like consultants or other project managers in those cases.

Not Asking a Question or the Right Question

There are situations where later in the project, you realised that some of the critical questions had not been asked and conclusions have been made based on assumptions. Therefore, you cannot have the correct answer without asking the question. It would be best to correct your mistake and get the required input to adjust your thinking and become more inlighted.

What Are Top 10 Biases of Project Managers?

There are so many biases each of us has that it would be challenging to address all of them at once actively. However, we could think about the ten most relevant for the project manager and even business analysts, affecting the project’s outcome.

If you would like to get an exhaustive list, check out the book on amazon,  The Art of Thinking Clearly . It is a very long list, but the author gives very lovely examples interesting to listen to.

1. Planning Fallacy Impacts Your Critical Thinking

The Planning Fallacy is the overestimation of benefits and underestimation of risks, costs and duration of a project. Of course, you would be the most exposed to the bias during the initiation and planning stages of the project. When we plan the project, we might underestimate how long it takes to complete each task, which partially links with risks. We tend to look more optimistically and underestimate the impact of various threats to the timeline. 

Senior management would also have such biases and pressure to complete the project sooner than you would feel comfortable with. Altogether, you might also overestimate benefits to the organisation and underestimate costs in the business case. Therefore, the organisation might start the project, which might cost more than the benefits we can realise.

The easiest solution would be to compare your project with a similar project in the past when preparing plans and cost vs benefits analysis. I have also written two articles that help to deal with budget and timeline issues. Have a look; they both help if you end up in a bad spot in your project.

• HOW TO SPEED UP YOUR PROJECT? PRACTICAL ADVICE
• WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A PROJECT GOES OVER BUDGET? PREVENT IT

2. Confirmation Bias   Impact Your Critical Thinking

Confirmation bias is looking for only the evidence that supports your beliefs. So, suppose you are thinking about one particular vendor you really like and have seen some excellent presentations in the past. In that case, you might only see or highlight the benefits and discounting costs or risks as unrealistic. 

Again your stakeholders can also have particular beliefs about the vendor. They might think that only one option is available in the market that fits their needs. They would not even want to listen for other options as they have already confirmed using their selective information. 

In both cases, we might overlook great options in the market that could bring more value to the business with lower costs. The best way to approach the problem is to define a very clear process that should test if a particular solution is good or bad. Then get stakeholders to approve the approach and eventually ask people to trust the results. Therefore, you have a data-driven answer.

3. Déformation Professionnelle Impact Your Critical Thinking

Déformation Professionnelle considers situations where experts will solve problems using familiar methods and not necessarily the best ones. “To the man with a hammer, every problem is a nail.” Therefore, it is a form of blindness.

If you have worked on projects for some time, you might have your tools and methods. Say you love the Waterfall approach, and there are projects where it fits perfectly. However, suppose suddenly your project has less certainty because you want to deliver a new product for the company. In that case, you might waste a lot of time and resources by trying to plan everything upfront. Hence, an Agile approach could be more suitable.

Also, stakeholders might only like to use one particular tool in the business. For example, they are very good with VBA code, and they want to transform data using only VBA. In contrast, Python or R might be much faster and easier to use for the same processes.

The way to solve the issue is to involve other individuals in the project and have an open discussion about the best approach. You might get team members in planning sessions or experts to advise on the best tools. You need that different perspective and be comfortable with change.

4. Anchors   Impact Your Critical Thinking

Anchors are elements that give you a starting point, like the very first information we learn. Salespeople like to use it by providing a large initial price and allowing you to negotiate down. You feel pride that you manage to get that discount. However, the value of the item might be even lower. The hefty price worked as an anchor. 

In the project, I would say it has both negative and positive effects. If you had a similar project before, you might use that information as a starting point to evaluate your current project. 

However, when dealing with a new product, consultants or services you try to acquire for the organisation or project, you need to be careful not to fall for this bias. Suppose they quote for your price; do not start negotiating from that point. Try getting a price from several providers to understand what is the usual cost in the market. Giving a counteroffer, which is too low, might give an anchor for the other side. Ask for some discounts for the promise of the future business.

5. Availability bias Impacts Your Critical Thinking

Availability bias the brain does not like wasting energy and tends to clinch to the readily available information. Therefore, we tend to build our world views based on information around us that is easy to access. 

If you are a project manager, you might have particular experience with various tools already available in the business. These might do the job well, but more suitable options are available elsewhere. You can do your research or get other people to share their take. Creating an environment where different perspectives are respected and considered can help to counter this bias.

6. Information bias Impacts Your Critical Thinking

Information bias is the fallacy that more information is equal to better decisions. I think it can be applied in multiple situations when it comes to project management. 

You can spend way too much time evaluating each small task for your plan. Or your stakeholders want the whole information in the world to make a decision. Eventually, you might not be able to distinguish between what information truly matters and what doesn’t for your deliverables. 

I think the rule of thumb 80/20 works well here. Try concentrating on the 20% of information that gives you the most insights. Explain to your stakeholders the cost and benefit of getting the rest. They should appreciate that you are giving already 80% of valuable information for their decisions, and the rest might just take too much time.

7. Decision fatigue Impacts Your Critical Thinking

Decision fatigue, I learned about this bias from Barack Obama. He used to have the same type of suits in the Whitehouse. Therefore, he did not have to decide on what suit to wear every morning. Your brain can only make a limited number of quality decisions over the day. What to eat or what to wear will cost you. Interestingly, the decisions are also linked with your willpower. So, the more decisions you make during the day, the harder it may be to say no to that doughnut. 

When it comes to project management, you always are making decisions. You need to decide on timings, costs, risk, mitigations when to have various meetings, or what to say. If you try to do everything in one day, you might not make the best decisions at the end of the day. Make sure you pace yourself with that decision making, and if you feel you need a break or it is late, you might want to wait for the next day as you might regret your decision in the morning. If you feel hungry, have lunch as decision quality directly correlates with your sugar levels in the blood.

8. Effort Justification Impacts Your Critical Thinking

Effort justification is increasing the value of your results depending on the amount of effort you put in. The rule of thumb of 80/20 fits here as well. Most of the activities in projects (80%) will bring only 20% of the value and vice versa.

You will see many people in office environments telling you how busy they are with all those meetings and various tasks. The translation is that they want you to believe how much they contribute to an organisation. Unfortunately, 80% of that energy is wasted.

Suppose you have spent countless hours and meetings trying to align people to do their tasks on time. Therefore, you believe that everyone knows 100% what needs to happen next. Unfortunately, you will never be in that position, and you might have just wasted 80% of that time. Some level of coordination on the go will still be required.

In initiatives, try to work backwards from the value you create whenever it is possible. Then only do the tasks with the given quality that still achieves the desired objective or results. Anything that does not have to be done to reach the required value, leave for later.

9. Default Effect Impact on Your Critical Thinking

Default effect people do not like change, and they prefer the status quo. It applies to project management twofold.

On the one hand, you will meet stakeholders who are irritated, angry or emotional about change. They might be afraid about their work in the future. Usually, people are uncooperative in that state of mind. 

If you would like to read more about dealing with such stakeholders, check out my post:  SARAH MODEL OF CHANGE: THE CHANGE CURVE FOR PROJECTS

On the other hand, project managers, although promoting change, do not like to change themselves. They do not want to change their methods or approaches. In some cases, it may lead to sub-optimal project performance.

Before promoting change, appreciate the impact, it may have on you or other stakeholders. Keep calm, and explain the situation and broader benefits. Usually, change brings new opportunities and improves the state of life; therefore, help others embrace it or support them until they get used to it.

10. Action Bias   Impacts Your Critical Thinking

Action bias is a tendency to act instead of doing nothing and observing the situation for more extended periods. People forget that choosing not to act is also an action but not as visible. 

When you have a new boss coming into the organisation, they need to prove that they are worth it. Thus, they will introduce ten steps processes to change the whole organisation, leading to confusion, loss of direction and decline. When we only needed to make minor adjustments.

Project managers also feel that they need to act when things start to go sideways. Yes, the situation may require swift actions. But sometimes, you need to wait to understand the causes before you act. When stakeholders press you to act, negotiate to understand the situation to appreciate how your actions will impact the project.

11. Bonus: Procrastination Impact Your Critical Thinking

Procrastination could be applied to any activity. But I wanted to include it here. The project manager sometimes needs to have difficult discussions. For example, they might need to discuss additional resources with stakeholders, explain unsatisfactory progress or adjust expectations. 

In all these situations, delaying conversation will damage the project. Either stakeholders will not accept your deliverables, start slowing the initiative, or put on hold project correction. 

The project manager’s job is to deal with these uncomfortable issues head-on and accept responsibility for the project.

Project Management Critical Thinking Hacks

We can use multiple hacks to address our inability to deal with biases efficiently. Some we have already discussed, and I will just mention them here again; some will be new. Applying these can help us to be more rational in our project delivery.

1. Critical Thinking Rules of Thumb

Avoid Assumptions:  Try avoiding assumptions as much as possible. Clarifying them at the beginning of the project will reduce the number of surprises later down the line.

Consider potential risks & issues:  Every single project manager needs to manage their risks & issues. Considering them includes being very open and almost slightly pessimistic with probability and impact. Humans are terrible at guessing likelihood and impact; they tend to be more optimistic when thinking about the negative impact. Risks & issues consideration is one place where you are allowed to be a bit more pessimistic.   

Use the Five Whys:  I am sure you have heard this rule, but do you apply it. If something goes wrong, do not jump to solving issues. Try to understand why did it happen by using “Five Whys”. That way, at least you will be solving the right problem.

Pareto Principle or 80/20 rule: Unfortunately, 80% of your effort delivers only 20% of project results. Consider what gives the other 80% with 20% effort. Prioritise that work first and only do the rest if you have time. Senior managers would not value your results more if you worked on them a lot. They will only appreciate the results or deliverables’ impact on the business.

How to be Efficient with Critical Thinking?

The trick to being effective is to eliminate errors in thinking, and by default, you will be more rational. It applies both to you and your project plan. Reducing unknowns and unclear information gives way to more rational engagement with project participants. 

Unfortunately, it is tough to be rational all the time. The good news is you do not need to be. You can go with your gut feeling for those decisions that have a lower impact. Plus, if you are very knowledgeable in a particular type of project, you can also skip the complex process to ensure you are rational.

Alternatively, more collaboration will be needed if you have a big decision that will change the project’s direction with less clarity. Workshops or working groups could help get a different perspective and validate that decision or objective.

Therefore, you not just need to prioritise your tasks but also your critical thinking. Decision making is a limited resource in the day, so use it wisely. 

What Is the Critical Thinking Approach In Project Management?

Ok, you have booked your Workshop, and now you think about how to approach the session to get the critical thinking going? What will help is a systematic approach to understanding the problem.

1. Understanding the Core Problem

First of all, we need to understand the problem or the situation. What helps to do so is going broad before going specific. So, we want to ask open-ended questions like “What” or “Why”. The key is to leave any judgement outside of the meeting. The pure goal is to find the answers. 

The goal for you is to understand the issues and conclusions, get to the reasons “Why”, and comprehend the assumptions used to get to this point.

2. Gathering and Evaluating Data

Now that you have built some sort of hypothesis of the problem or situation, you need to prove it with data or accounts from participants. Therefore, clarifying questions to test various assumptions will build clarity and structure if you have the right individuals in the meeting. If you do not have the right individuals to answer questions, you might need to take this offline.

What could also help at this stage is to ask hypocritical questions. In particular, when evaluating and eventually weighing alternatives. Hypocritical questions test if you do something or believe something you say you don’t. For example, you might say that you need to be objective with vendor selection, but the validation process only concentrates on two vendors for whom you had a preference before.

3. Generating and Weighing Alternatives

You have built your evidence; thus, it is time to weigh each finding and ask if there are alternative ways to address the problem. Have you really considered all options and reflected on your paths to this point in the analysis. Maybe there are some additional vendors to explore or options to solve the problem. It is like a test for your thoughts and approach. Therefore, you test quality.

Check if you or the team have fallacies in the reasoning discussed openly in the group. Have you based your data on tangible investigations and facts rather than opinions?

4. Choosing The Best One

Finally, you will need to structure your findings and present them to the group that will decide. Ensure that the decision-makers have all relevant information that would not cloud the judgment. Then structure the question carefully to get a clear and specific approval to move forward.

That is it; if you follow the structured approach, you should be on your way to solving most of your problems with limited impact from your biases.

How to Uncover Stakeholder’s Biases in the Project?

Stakeholders impact your project and understanding their views, positions, and biases is also highly important to successfully deliver the project. To uncover stakeholder biases in the project, you need to ask the right questions. In general, though, looking from another person’s perspective is an excellent way to approach it. What helps to understand the beliefs are the right questions.

Current View of the World

When trying to understand expectations and how your stakeholders see the world’s current state, ask outcome-based questions that help you understand their thought processes and beliefs. What do they expect the project to change or improve, and what are their thought process.

One way to uncover stakeholders’ expectations and thinking is to ask them to describe the future with examples and use cases.

What are Prioritisation Questions for Critical Thinking?

In the project, you have limited resources; therefore, you need to prioritise every day. Your stakeholder will want you to do everything yesterday and will put pressure to give everything now. Asking the right questions to understand the situation and uncover stakeholder fallacies could save you some tough conversations later down the line.

Why is this Significant Today? 

Every manager will want their deliverables today. However, I found that they often can wait for some time or really just want deliverables but do not really need them. Asking these essential questions might save you some effort, and you can use it on more critical projects. If the project still needs to happen, it can be done later, more aligned with your team’s availability.

One excellent and polite question to ask is to understand why the project is urgent. People love when you are genuinely interested in their needs.

Why does the Team or I Need to be Involved? 

Sometimes, you may get random requests that are a bit outside your team’s scope. Do not jump blindly addressing them and discuss with stakeholders their thought processes to involve the team. Maybe they just need more information to understand where to direct the query.

If you are not clear about why they need your team, you can always ask to explain what is expected from the group, giving better appreciation.

Why is this the Most Critical Project for the Team?  

There are always competing priorities in the business. Understanding the most value-added projects from senior management could ensure that you prioritise the right activities.

Critical Thinking in Project Management Conclusion

Critical thinking is a form of balancing act as the correct answer is not always clear; you always end up somewhere midway in the thought process. It is hard to go against your biases, but it could save your project. Therefore, it is worth trying to achieve. You won’t become an expert in logic in one day, but I hope my post will get you a bit closer to keeping a rational mind where needed.

As you have read through the whole article there is a present for you. A presentation about Critical Thinking in Project Management, which you can take home. It contains an additional topic about the two sides of the brain, where the fast brain drives your rash decisions and prevents your critical thinking.

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I am an experienced ex. Business & Data Analyst  and now a  Project Manager  with multiple years of experience gained in several international companies.

These days, business problems require data crunching and telling stories to make the right decisions. Simply put, business stakeholders  need insights into their projects and deliveries.

This is where I come in. I have learned and applied Python ,  Power   BI ,  SQL and Excel to analyse and present data. Also, I gained experience in Project Management and Business Analysis. So, I can not only spot insights but execute business decisions. Moreover, I can teach you as well. Read   More

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The Influential Project Manager

What is Critical Thinking?

👋 Welcome to The Influential Project Manager, a weekly newsletter covering the essentials of successful project leadership.

Today’s Overview:

We all “think”; it's a natural part of being human. But much of our thinking, left to itself, is biased, flawed, partial, or simply uninformed.

Unexamined thinking can lead to costly errors, impacting both our work and personal lives.

Critical thinking is the ability to think clearly and rationally, understanding the logical connection between ideas. It involves questioning and evaluating what you see, hear, and read, rather than accepting it at face value.

There are three simple things you can do to train yourself to become a more effective critical thinker: (1) question assumptions, (2) reason through logic, and (3) diversify thought. They may sound obvious, but consistently applying these habits will help you become better at a skill that is increasingly valued in today's job market.

“The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.” - Albert Einstein

As a Project Manager, I'm constantly reminded of the role's complexity. It’s one of the things I love most about this career.

Each project I take on presents its unique set of challenges, from varying owners and locations to distinct project variables, all demanding a tailored approach.

This diversity in projects requires not only a mix of skills and finesse but also highlights one consistently crucial ability: thinking both critically and strategically.

The reality is, we all “think”; it's a natural part of being human. But much of our thinking, left to itself, is biased, flawed, partial, or simply uninformed.

The decisions we make and the outcomes of our projects are profoundly influenced by the quality of our thought processes. Unexamined thinking can lead to costly errors, impacting both our work and personal lives.

Excellence in project management, therefore, hinges on deliberately honing our thinking skills. Fortunately, critical thinking is a skill that can be learned and developed.

Consider critical thinking as a compass for life, guiding you through the maze of challenges and decisions. It's less about using complex terminology or engaging in debates, and more about simple yet profound questions like “Why?” or “How credible is this source?”

It encourages us to embrace diverse perspectives, perhaps during a casual coffee conversation, or to consider alternative viewpoints to a problem.

Critical thinking allows us to successfully navigate through the flood of information and make decisions that are well-informed and clear.

Critical Thinking Defined

Critical thinking is the process of objectively analyzing information to form a reasoned judgment. It involves evaluating various sources like data, facts, observable phenomena, and research findings.

Imagine you're a detective looking at a puzzle. Critical thinking is like examining all the pieces carefully, questioning them, and figuring out how they fit together.

It's more than taking information at face value. It involves diving deeper, asking "why" and "how," examining facts, and making well-thought-out judgments.

Someone with critical thinking skills can:

Understand connections between different ideas.

Assess the significance and relevance of arguments and thoughts.

Construct and evaluate arguments effectively.

Spot inconsistencies and flaws in reasoning.

Tackle problems methodically and consistently.

Reflect critically on their own beliefs and assumptions.

From my personal experience and research findings, I’ve pulled together three simple strategies to improve your critical thinking:

Question Assumptions : Be inquisitive about everything. Challenge existing beliefs instead of accepting them blindly.

Reason Through Logic : Don't accept ideas merely because "that's how it's always been." Apply logical thinking to understand and evaluate assertions.

Diversify Thought : Approach problems from various angles. Engage in discussions, listen to different viewpoints, and consider them thoughtfully.

Now, you might be thinking, “I do that already.” And you probably do, but just not as deliberately and thoroughly as you could. Developing these three key habits of mind go a long way in helping you become better at a skill that is increasingly valued in today's job market.

What is Strategic Thinking?

Now, think of being a chess player planning several moves ahead. Strategic thinking is about envisioning your desired outcome, recognizing your current position, and mapping out the most effective route to reach your goal.

It’s about having a long-term plan, foreseeing future scenarios, and being prepared for them.

Enhancing Your Strategic Thinking Skills:

Consider Future Impacts : Reflect on how your decisions today will affect your goals in the future.

Set Clear Objectives : Define what you aim to achieve clearly and concisely.

Devise a Plan : Chart out the steps needed to achieve your goal, while being mindful of potential challenges you might encounter.

Remain Adaptable : Stay open to new information and be willing to adjust your plan as circumstances change.

The Intersection of Critical and Strategic Thinking:

While they're not the same, critical and strategic thinking do overlap. Critical thinking sharpens your ability to process and understand information, which is crucial for effective strategic planning.

By critically assessing your options and the information at hand, you lay the groundwork for a solid strategic plan. One supports the other.

In project management, using both helps you make better decisions and create effective plans for your projects.

How Our Brains Work: Understanding Fast and Slow Thinking

In his book "Thinking, Fast and Slow," Daniel Kahneman explains how our brains process information using two systems:

System 1 (Fast Thinking): This is our instinctive and automatic way of thinking. It operates subconsciously and helps us make quick decisions with little effort. It's like an automatic reflex, useful for recognizing familiar faces or reacting swiftly to avoid a stumble.

System 2 (Slow Thinking): In contrast, this is our thoughtful, analytical mode of thinking. It requires conscious effort and concentration. System 2 is engaged when we face complex tasks, such as solving difficult math problems, making significant decisions, or learning new things that demand focused attention.

System 1 is fast and intuitive, driven by instinct and our past experiences. System 2, on the other hand, is where all our critical thinking happens. It’s slower, more deliberate, and logical.

“The automatic operations of System 1 generate surprisingly complex patterns of ideas, but only the slower System 2 can construct thoughts in an orderly series of steps.” – Daniel Kahneman in Thinking, Fast and Slow

Although we like to believe our decisions are always rational, often our instinctive System 1 influences our choices more than we realize. Recognizing how these two systems interact in our daily lives helps us become more aware of potential biases in our decision-making.

For effective critical thinking, it's essential to dig deeper and engage System 2, allowing us to carefully analyze and evaluate information before concluding. This understanding is crucial for those seeking to improve their critical thinking skills.

Strengthening Your Critical Thinking Skills

“The unexamined life is not worth living.” - Socrates

Use these questions to dig deeper whenever you discover or discuss new information.

They're designed to be broad and versatile, encouraging you to explore various angles and perspectives, which is crucial for refining your critical thinking.

Benefits from this?

Is this harmful to?

Makes decisions about this?

Is most directly affected?

Have you also heard discuss this?

Would be the best person to consult?

Deserves recognition for this?

Are the strengths/weaknesses?

Is another perspective?

Is another alternative?

Would be a counter-argument?

Is the best/worst case scenario?

Is most/least important?

Can we do to make a positive change?

Is getting in the way of our action?

Would we see this in the real world?

Are there similar concepts/situations?

Is there the most need for this?

In the world would this be a problem?

Can we get more information?

Do we go for help with this?

Will this idea take us?

Are the areas of improvement?

Is this acceptable/unacceptable?

Would this benefit our society?

Would this cause a problem?

Is the best time to take action?

Will we know we’ve succeeded?

Has this played a part in our industry?

Can we expect this to change?

Should we ask for help with this?

Is this a problem/challenge?

Is it relevant to me/others?

Is this the best/worst scenario?

Are people people influenced by this?

Should people know about this?

Has it been this way for so long?

Have we allowed this to happen?

Is there a need for this today?

Is this similar to ______?

Does this disrupt things?

Do we know the truth about this?

Will we approach this safely?

Does this benefit us/others?

Does this harm us/others?

Do we see this in the future?

Can we change this for our good?

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, while the strategies for enhancing critical thinking might seem straightforward, their application is surprisingly uncommon in the business landscape.

Many organizations and teams overlook the necessity of engaging in deep, thorough reasoning processes.

As influential project managers, embracing critical thinking not only leads to more successful project outcomes but also creates a culture of innovation and thoughtful problem-solving within our teams.

In a field as dynamic and challenging as ours, the ability to think critically is not just an asset; it's a necessity for staying ahead. So, as we move forward, let's commit to honing this skill, ensuring that our projects not only meet but exceed expectations. Until next week,

Kyle Nitchen

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

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• > Personal Effectiveness and Preparing for Change
• > 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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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.

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Critical Thinking Definition, Skills, and Examples

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Critical thinking refers to the ability to analyze information objectively and make a reasoned judgment. It involves the evaluation of sources, such as data, facts, observable phenomena, and research findings.

Good critical thinkers can draw reasonable conclusions from a set of information, and discriminate between useful and less useful details to solve problems or make decisions. These skills are especially helpful at school and in the workplace, where employers prioritize the ability to think critically. Find out why and see how you can demonstrate that you have this ability.

Examples of Critical Thinking

The circumstances that demand critical thinking vary from industry to industry. Some examples include:

• A triage nurse analyzes the cases at hand and decides the order by which the patients should be treated.
• A plumber evaluates the materials that would best suit a particular job.
• An attorney reviews the evidence and devises a strategy to win a case or to decide whether to settle out of court.
• A manager analyzes customer feedback forms and uses this information to develop a customer service training session for employees.

Why Do Employers Value Critical Thinking Skills?

Employers want job candidates who can evaluate a situation using logical thought and offer the best solution.

Someone with critical thinking skills can be trusted to make decisions independently, and will not need constant handholding.

Hiring a critical thinker means that micromanaging won't be required. Critical thinking abilities are among the most sought-after skills in almost every industry and workplace. You can demonstrate critical thinking by using related keywords in your resume and cover letter and during your interview.

How to Demonstrate Critical Thinking in a Job Search

If critical thinking is a key phrase in the job listings you are applying for, be sure to emphasize your critical thinking skills throughout your job search.

Add Keywords to Your Resume

You can use critical thinking keywords (analytical, problem solving, creativity, etc.) in your resume. When describing your work history, include top critical thinking skills that accurately describe you. You can also include them in your resume summary, if you have one.

For example, your summary might read, “Marketing Associate with five years of experience in project management. Skilled in conducting thorough market research and competitor analysis to assess market trends and client needs, and to develop appropriate acquisition tactics.”

Mention Skills in Your Cover Letter

Include these critical thinking skills in your cover letter. In the body of your letter, mention one or two of these skills, and give specific examples of times when you have demonstrated them at work. Think about times when you had to analyze or evaluate materials to solve a problem.

Show the Interviewer Your Skills

You can use these skill words in an interview. Discuss a time when you were faced with a particular problem or challenge at work and explain how you applied critical thinking to solve it.

Some interviewers will give you a hypothetical scenario or problem, and ask you to use critical thinking skills to solve it. In this case, explain your thought process thoroughly to the interviewer. He or she is typically more focused on how you arrive at your solution rather than the solution itself. The interviewer wants to see you analyze and evaluate (key parts of critical thinking) the given scenario or problem.

Of course, each job will require different skills and experiences, so make sure you read the job description carefully and focus on the skills listed by the employer.

Top Critical Thinking Skills

Keep these in-demand skills in mind as you refine your critical thinking practice —whether for work or school.

Part of critical thinking is the ability to carefully examine something, whether it is a problem, a set of data, or a text. People with analytical skills can examine information, understand what it means, and properly explain to others the implications of that information.

• Asking Thoughtful Questions
• Data Analysis
• Interpretation
• Questioning Evidence
• Recognizing Patterns

Communication

Often, you will need to share your conclusions with your employers or with a group of classmates or colleagues. You need to be able to communicate with others to share your ideas effectively. You might also need to engage in critical thinking in a group. In this case, you will need to work with others and communicate effectively to figure out solutions to complex problems.

• Active Listening
• Collaboration
• Explanation
• Interpersonal
• Presentation
• Verbal Communication
• Written Communication

Critical thinking often involves creativity and innovation. You might need to spot patterns in the information you are looking at or come up with a solution that no one else has thought of before. All of this involves a creative eye that can take a different approach from all other approaches.

• Flexibility
• Conceptualization
• Imagination
• Drawing Connections
• Synthesizing

Open-Mindedness

To think critically, you need to be able to put aside any assumptions or judgments and merely analyze the information you receive. You need to be objective, evaluating ideas without bias.

• Objectivity
• Observation

Problem-Solving

Problem-solving is another critical thinking skill that involves analyzing a problem, generating and implementing a solution, and assessing the success of the plan. Employers don’t simply want employees who can think about information critically. They also need to be able to come up with practical solutions.

• Attention to Detail
• Clarification
• Decision Making
• Groundedness
• Identifying Patterns

More Critical Thinking Skills

• Inductive Reasoning
• Deductive Reasoning
• Noticing Outliers
• Adaptability
• Emotional Intelligence
• Brainstorming
• Optimization
• Restructuring
• Integration
• Strategic Planning
• Project Management
• Ongoing Improvement
• Causal Relationships
• Case Analysis
• Diagnostics
• SWOT Analysis
• Business Intelligence
• Quantitative Data Management
• Qualitative Data Management
• Risk Management
• Scientific Method
• Consumer Behavior

Key Takeaways

• Demonstrate you have critical thinking skills by adding relevant keywords to your resume.
• Mention pertinent critical thinking skills in your cover letter, too, and include an example of a time when you demonstrated them at work.
• Finally, highlight critical thinking skills during your interview. For instance, you might discuss a time when you were faced with a challenge at work and explain how you applied critical thinking skills to solve it.

University of Louisville. " What is Critical Thinking ."

American Management Association. " AMA Critical Skills Survey: Workers Need Higher Level Skills to Succeed in the 21st Century ."

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The Importance of Critical Thinking in Project Management

Critical thinking is one of the most important skills for project managers to possess. It involves analyzing information and making decisions based on evidence rather than intuition or opinion. Project managers need to be able to assess a situation, evaluate possible solutions, and then make an informed decision about how best to move forward.

Critical thinking helps project managers identify potential risks and opportunities within their projects, as well as identify areas that need improvement or additional resources.

Additionally, it allows them to think critically about ways to handle conflicts in order to reach successful outcomes more quickly and efficiently. In short, critical thinking enables project managers to make better decisions which can lead to improved results for their projects.

Importance of Critical Thinking in Project Management

Critical thinking as a problem-solving tool

By using critical thinking, project managers can identify and analyze potential problems or risks before they occur, anticipate customer needs, and develop creative solutions to ensure the success of the project. It also helps them to stay focused on the big picture while managing individual tasks along the way.

With critical thinking skills, a project manager can assess different scenarios and come up with better strategies for achieving desired outcomes than simply following a standard plan. Additionally, it allows project managers to think strategically about how resources are allocated in order to get maximum results from limited resources.

Finally, by being aware of any potential issues that could arise during a project's implementation phase, critical thinkers will be able to react quickly when necessary and take corrective action where needed.

Critical thinking as a decision-making tool

Critical thinking has the ability to assess and analyze a situation from multiple perspectives, allowing project managers to identify possible solutions that may have previously been overlooked. It also increases the chances of making informed decisions that are in line with stakeholders’ expectations and objectives.

Project managers who use critical thinking skills can make more efficient decisions by considering all aspects of a problem before choosing a course of action. This helps them avoid costly mistakes, as well as maximize the value they bring to their organizations through successful projects.

Furthermore, critical thinking enables project managers to be proactive rather than reactive when dealing with issues; this allows them to anticipate potential problems and take appropriate steps ahead of time instead of reacting after it is too late.

Finally, being able to critically think also gives project managers greater confidence in their decision-making abilities which leads to better performance overall.

Critical thinking as a risk management tool

Critical thinking helps minimize errors by providing more insight into how specific tasks may be completed in the most efficient manner possible. By encouraging creativity and looking at problems from different perspectives, project managers can identify opportunities for improvement before they become major issues.

Overall, leveraging critical thinking as part of any risk management strategy increases the chances of successful completion while minimizing costs and avoiding unnecessary delays.

Examples of Critical Thinking in Project Management

Identifying and defining project goals.

A key element of successful project management is to identify and clearly define the desired outcome of the project. This includes setting realistic goals, including cost estimations for completion, and establishing a timeline for completion.

Once these goals are established, it is important to monitor progress against those milestones in order to ensure that the project remains on track and within budget.

Additionally, breaking down a large task into smaller pieces or steps allows you to focus your critical thinking skills on addressing each individual piece with an eye toward identifying potential risks or challenges that may arise along the way. With this kind of clear vision of where you want your project to go, you can make sound decisions about how best to proceed in order to achieve success!

Analyzing data and making informed decisions

Critical thinking helps project managers to weigh their options when making decisions and ensure that the chosen path is the most efficient one for all stakeholders involved. Project managers must use critical thinking to assess current resources, identify potential risks, and consider alternative solutions in order to make the best decision for a successful outcome.

The ability to think critically can be invaluable when setting up timelines, cost projections, and other details of a project as well as minimizing any possible errors or oversights during its execution.

Additionally, being able to evaluate data efficiently can help project managers determine where they should invest their time and energy in order to maximize results while maintaining quality throughout the process.

Strategies for Developing Critical Thinking Skills in Project Management

Asking questions.

Asking questions is one of the most important strategies for developing critical thinking skills in project management. Asking questions allows you to further understand the subject and obtain a better understanding of it by exploring different angles and perspectives.

Additionally, asking questions encourages dialogue between team members which can help foster collaboration and creative solutions to difficult problems.

Seeking diverse perspectives

Another strategy for developing critical thinking skills in project management is Gathering Information from Multiple Sources. This involves researching information from multiple sources such as books, websites, news articles, industry experts, etc. so that a more comprehensive viewpoint on an issue can be developed before acting upon it.

By gathering information from multiple sources, project managers are able to consider all data points when making decisions rather than relying solely on their own opinion or experiences which could lead to biased judgment calls and inadequate problem-solving methods down the road.

Challenging assumptions

Project managers must challenge the assumptions they make in order to seek creative solutions that may not be immediately obvious. By questioning why something is done a certain way, project managers can identify opportunities for improvement or uncover potential risks and challenges that need to be addressed before moving forward with any plans.

Another strategy for developing critical thinking skills in project management is brainstorming. Brainstorming sessions are effective tools for exploring all of the possible options available to address a problem or situation, as well as encouraging team members to think outside the box and come up with unique ideas.

Developing a culture of critical thinking

This involves fostering a mindset of asking questions, brainstorming with team members, challenging assumptions, and considering alternative solutions. It’s also important to create an environment that encourages critical thinking by providing feedback on project performance.

Additionally, it is beneficial for managers to encourage team members to take initiative and think outside the box when it comes to project tasks or assignments.

Finally, regularly scheduled meetings that allow for discussion on how projects can be improved are an excellent way to stimulate creative thought processes while simultaneously motivating employees.

The importance of critical thinking in project management is undeniable. It allows project managers to think through various problems and solutions, as well as effectively communicate their thoughts and ideas to stakeholders.

Critical thinking helps ensure that projects are completed on time and within budget while also helping create innovative solutions that meet the needs of all involved parties.

The ability to think critically can be a powerful tool when deciding how best to manage a project, so it’s important for project managers to hone their skills in this area. Doing so will lead to successful outcomes for everyone involved.

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Critical Thinking in Project Management

New paper by Phil Caputo provides argument for decision making based on facts, logic and objective reasoning

23 November 2014 – Dallas, TX, USA – “ The Role of Critical Thinking in Project Management ” is the title of a new paper by Phil Caputo (USA), originally presented at the 8th UT Dallas PM Symposium in August and republished in the November PM World Journal . According to the author’s introduction to this new paper added to the PM World Collection in November, “Critical thinking, in the simplest form, is the process of using logic and reasoning to remove bias and opinion, and fully understand a topic. Project teams can benefit greatly by operating from this fact-based viewpoint, especially considering the varied skills and responsibilities of the team members. Clarity around the facts and finely articulated specifics are less likely to create confusion, miscommunication, rework, and unnecessary stress... Exploring the project lifecycle leads to endless opportunities for improvement by way of critical thinking as well…”

To read this interesting new work, visit the authors’ showcase page at https://pmworldlibrary.net/authors/phil-caputo/ and click on the title of the paper. Must be a logged in library member to access!

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What is “Critical Path” in Project Management? A Comprehensive Guide

Written By: Cheyenne Kolosky

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Project management is the art of organizing and controlling resources to achieve specific goals within a defined timeframe and budget. It involves a series of fundamental steps:

• Planning: Defining project scope , identifying tasks, estimating timelines and resource requirements, and establishing communication plans.
• Execution: Carrying out the planned tasks, managing resources, monitoring progress, and adapting to changes.
• Monitoring and Control: Tracking progress, identifying and addressing risks, and making adjustments to stay on schedule and within budget.
• Closure: Finalizing the project, delivering results, and documenting lessons learned.

Within these steps lies a crucial technique called the Critical Path Method (CPM). The CPM is a scheduling tool used to identify the longest sequence of dependent tasks that ultimately determines the total project duration. Not only does CPM empower project managers to make informed decisions throughout the project lifecycle but ultimately leads to better project outcomes and a higher chance of on-time delivery.

Key Takeaways

• CPM (Critical Path Method) goes beyond simply identifying the longest project timeline.
• Understanding the CPM allows for optimized resource allocation.
• The CPM is a versatile tool applicable across various industries.

What is the Critical Path Method?

The Critical Path Method (CPM) is a proactive project scheduling technique. It identifies the sequence of dependent activities (the critical path) that determines the minimum possible project duration . Any delay in a critical activity directly impacts the entire project timeline. 

History and Development:

The CPM emerged in the 1950s during the Manhattan Project, a massive undertaking to develop the atomic bomb. Dr. John Mauchly (co-inventor of the ENIAC computer) and Dr. Herman Bondi are credited with its development to efficiently manage the project’s complex web of tasks and dependencies. Their work laid the foundation for modern project scheduling techniques.

Underlying Theory:

The CPM relies on network scheduling , where project tasks are represented as nodes connected by arrows calling out dependencies. By analyzing these connections and calculating the time required for each task (activity duration), the CPM identifies the critical path – the sequence with the total longest duration. This approach allows for a clear understanding of how delays in individual tasks can ripple through the project, impacting the overall timeline.

Knack and Project Management:

While the core functionality of CPM can be implemented manually, creating custom project management software with tools like Knack offers to streamline the process. Knack’s Project Management template provides a customizable application and framework for defining tasks, dependencies, and durations, making it easier to visualize and analyze the critical path allowing you to:

• Visually map tasks and dependencies: Creating a clear network diagram helps visualize the critical path and identify potential bottlenecks.
• Track task progress: Real-time progress monitoring allows for proactive management and early identification of delays that could impact the critical path.
• Manage resources: Efficient resource allocation ensures critical tasks have the necessary support to stay on schedule.

Benefits of the Critical Path Method 

The Critical Path Method (CPM) offers a range of advantages for project managers, leading to improved project outcomes. Here’s a closer look at some key benefits:

CPM Can Improve Communication

By clearly identifying critical tasks and their dependencies, CPM fosters better communication between project stakeholders. Everyone involved understands the interconnectedness of activities and the impact of delays on critical tasks. 

Prioritize Tasks and Focus Attention on the Critical

Project managers can focus resources and attention on these crucial activities, ensuring they are completed on time to maintain the overall project schedule. Less critical tasks with some slack can be adjusted or scheduled strategically without jeopardizing the deadline.

Create Accurate and Realistic Schedules 

The CPM methodology closely considers task dependencies and durations to create a realistic project schedule. This reduces the risk of underestimating the time required for completion and helps establish a more accurate timeline.

Create Effective Project Plans with the CPM

With the critical path and task dependencies in full view, project managers can develop more effective project plans. They can identify potential bottlenecks early on, allocate resources efficiently, and mitigate risks that could derail the critical path.

The Critical Path Method Formula

The Critical Path Method (CPM) doesn’t rely on a single, overarching formula. It aptly utilizes a two-step process involving a forward pass and a backward pass to calculate the earliest and latest possible start and finish times for each activity in the project.

These calculations help identify the critical path and the flexibility (or float) associated with non-critical tasks.

CPM Forward Pass

The forward pass focuses on determining the earliest possible start (ES) and earliest possible finish (EF) times for each activity.

ES(Successor) = EF(Predecessor)

EF(Activity) = ES(Activity) + Duration(Activity)

This formula essentially states that the earliest a successor activity can begin is when its latest predecessor finishes. The earliest finish of an activity is then calculated by adding its duration to its earliest start time.

By performing the forward pass for all activities, you can establish the earliest possible project completion date.

CPM Backward Pass

The backward pass calculates the latest allowable start (LS) and latest allowable finish (LF) times for each activity without delaying the project.

LF(Activity) = Latest Project Finish Date

LS(Activity) = LF(Activity) – Duration(Activity)

Start by setting the latest finish time (LF) of the final activity to the overall project deadline. Then, we work backward, calculating the latest allowable start time for each activity by subtracting its duration from its latest finish time. 

This is a great opportunity to compare the results of the forward and backward passes to clearly visualize the critical path and any slack (float) in non-critical activities.

How to Identify the Critical Path

The Critical Path Method (CPM) helps pinpoint the sequence of dependent activities that dictate the minimum project duration and involves a few steps in identifying the critical path. This proactive approach helps avoid bottlenecks and delays that could derail the project schedule. Here’s how it all comes together:

1. Collect Project Tasks

Start by creating a comprehensive list of all tasks involved in your project. This no-code project management approach can define each activity and assign a realistic duration estimate.

2. Identify Task Dependencies

Analyze the relationships between tasks. Establish these dependencies by linking tasks visually within your workflow to ensure clarity and avoid confusion for you and your team.

3. Create a Critical Path Diagram

Use flowcharting tools or even simple drawing applications to create boxes for activities, connect them with arrows, and highlight the critical path. To make it easier, use templates to define tasks, dependencies, and durations with project management tools.

4. Estimate Timeline

Estimate the duration of each task. Use the data from past projects to give you an idea of capacity and capacity planning.

5. Use Critical Path Formula

To calculate forward and backward passes, use these formulas:

6. Identify the Critical Path and Float

The critical path consists of activities with zero float. These tasks are interconnected and any delay in one will directly impact the project deadline. Calculate the float (slack) for each activity by subtracting its ES from its LS.

7. Monitor the Critical Path Continuously

By continuously monitoring the critical path and taking corrective actions as needed, project managers can maintain project momentum, minimize delays, and increase the likelihood of successful on-time completion. Establish a system for collecting regular progress updates on all project activities, particularly those on the critical path, which could involve status meetings, task management software, or collaborative communication tools.

Monitor the actual duration of completed activities and compare them to the planned durations. As the project progresses and updates are received, periodically reassess the critical path. This may involve recalculating the ES, LS, and float times to ensure the critical path reflects the current project reality.

Advanced Critical Path Techniques

The Critical Path Method (CPM) offers a foundation for project scheduling, but advanced techniques can provide deeper insights and optimization opportunities. Here, we’ll explore two such techniques:

a. Critical Path Drag and Optimization:

• Critical Path Drag (CPD Drag): It measures the amount of time an activity on the critical path is extending the overall project duration. In simpler terms, it represents how much a specific critical path activity can be shortened to get the project back on track.
• Measuring CPD Drag: There are various formulas for calculating drag, but a common approach is to consider the activity’s duration and the total float of any parallel activities on the critical path. The drag is equal to the lower of these two values.
• Crashing: Crashing involves applying additional resources to shorten the critical path activity’s duration. However, this often comes at an increased cost.
• Fast Tracking: Fast tracking involves overlapping activities that are normally sequential but have some dependencies. This can potentially shorten the overall project duration but requires careful planning and risk mitigation.

b. Integrating Advanced Reporting and Metrics:

Beyond the critical path itself, advanced reporting and metrics offer valuable insights for comprehensive project management and decision-making. Here’s why they are important:

• Deeper Visibility: Basic CPM analysis focuses on the critical path. Advanced reporting tools can delve deeper, providing data on resource allocation, task completion rates, and project variances. This holistic view allows for a more informed understanding of project health and potential risks.
• Improved Decision-Making: By analyzing project performance metrics, project managers can make data-driven decisions. They can identify trends, predict potential issues, and make adjustments before they escalate into major problems.
• Enhanced Communication: Advanced reporting tools can generate visual representations of project performance data, including dashboards and charts. This clear and concise communication of project status helps keep stakeholders informed and engaged.

How Critical Path is Used Across Industries

The Critical Path Method (CPM) provides value in various project management scenarios. Here’s a glimpse into its application across three distinct sectors:

CPM in Construction

Construction projects are inherently complex, involving numerous interdependent tasks and external factors like weather. Here’s how CPM empowers construction managers:

• Sequencing Activities: CPM helps break down construction projects into smaller, sequenced tasks, ensuring crucial groundwork happens before framing, and electrical work precedes drywall installation.
• Resource Allocation: By identifying the critical path, managers can allocate resources efficiently, prioritizing critical tasks like foundation construction and ensuring a steady flow of materials for on-time completion.
• Risk Management: The early identification of critical path activities allows for proactive risk management. For example, identifying a potential delay in steel delivery can prompt exploring alternative suppliers or scheduling adjustments.
• Dynamic Environment: Weather changes, material delays, and unforeseen site conditions can disrupt the CPM. Continuous monitoring and adaptation are crucial.
• Multiple Stakeholders: Architects, engineers, subcontractors, and inspectors all play a role. Effective communication and data sharing are essential.
• Customization: No-code platforms allow construction companies to build custom CPM systems that integrate with existing software used by architects, engineers, and subcontractors. This fosters seamless data sharing and collaboration.
• Scalability: No-code solutions can adapt to the specific needs of each project, accommodating varying complexities and stakeholder involvement.

By leveraging CPM with a no-code approach, construction companies can enhance communication, streamline workflows, and mitigate risks associated with critical path delays.

CPM for IT Projects

IT projects are often intricate, involving software development, hardware installations, and network configurations. Here’s how CPM aids IT project managers:

• Dependency Management: CPM excels at untangling the web of dependencies in IT projects. For instance, network setup might need to be completed before software installations can begin.
• Testing and Deployment: The critical path can highlight crucial testing phases before system deployment, ensuring a smooth rollout.
• Resource Allocation: IT teams can prioritize critical development tasks and allocate resources strategically to avoid bottlenecks and delays in the overall project timeline.
• Rapid Technological Change: New technologies and evolving requirements can necessitate adjustments to the critical path.
• Unforeseen Issues: Technical glitches or integration problems can arise during development, requiring flexibility in the CPM.
• Agile Adjustments: The customizable nature of no-code solutions allows for quick adjustments to the CPM as project requirements evolve.
• Integration Flexibility: No-code platforms can integrate with various IT management tools and development environments, centralizing data and streamlining communication.

By employing CPM alongside no-code solutions, IT project managers can adapt to changing priorities, manage dependencies effectively, and deliver projects on time.

CPM in Events Management 

Event management works at its best with meticulous planning and precise execution. Here’s how CPM benefits event planners:

• Task Breakdown: CPM helps break down complex events into smaller, manageable tasks, ensuring vendor deliveries, venue setup, and entertainment scheduling are coordinated flawlessly.
• Resource & Budget Management: By highlighting critical tasks, event planners can allocate resources strategically and manage budgets effectively.
• Risk Mitigation: Identifying critical tasks allows for proactive risk management. For instance, having a backup plan for inclement weather impacting an outdoor event can help minimize disruptions.
• Tight Deadlines: Events have fixed dates, leaving little room for error.
• Multiple Vendors & Stakeholders: Coordination between caterers, decorators, and entertainment providers is crucial.
• Visualization Tools: No-code solutions can generate visual representations of the critical path, providing a clear picture of the event timeline and task dependencies for all stakeholders.
• Collaboration Features: Features like built-in communication tools and task assignments can streamline communication among vendors, staff, and volunteers.

CPM for Project Success

By identifying the sequence of dependent activities that dictate project duration, CPM empowers you to:

• Prioritize effectively: Focus resources on critical tasks to ensure on-time completion.
• Manage dependencies: Proactively address task interdependencies and avoid schedule bottlenecks.
• Optimize project plans: Develop realistic timelines and identify potential risks that could derail the critical path.

As projects evolve, the critical path can shift. Continuous monitoring and adjustments are essential for maintaining project momentum. No-code solutions offer exciting possibilities for implementing CPM. These platforms can:

• Tailor CPM to your specific needs.
• Integrate seamlessly with existing workflows and software.
• Facilitate collaboration across teams and stakeholders.

Start Building for Free with Knack Today

Knack empowers you to seamlessly integrate CPM into your workflow. Knack’s no-code solutions make it easy to develop a custom project management solution that can help you:

• Define tasks and dependencies: Clearly outline all project activities and their interrelationships within Knack’s project management template. A visual representation leads to clear communication and streamlines dependency management.
• Track progress and monitor the critical path: Monitor task completion and identify potential delays in real time. Knack can even automate critical path calculations based on your task dependencies, saving you time and minimizing errors.
• Optimize project execution: By proactively pinpointing the critical path within Knack, you can strategically allocate resources and prioritize critical tasks. 

Optimize Your Projects with Ease: Knack offers a range of templates that can be powerful tools in conjunction with CPM:

• Project Management Template : Define tasks, dependencies, and durations, laying the foundation for calculating your project’s critical path. Knack can even automate calculations based on the dependencies you establish, saving you time and reducing the risk of errors.
• Inventory Management Template: This template can be adapted to manage resources critical to your project. By tracking resource availability and usage, you can proactively identify potential bottlenecks that might disrupt the critical path.
• Team Collaboration Template : Facilitate seamless collaboration by providing a central hub for task assignments, discussions, and file sharing. Improved communication ensures everyone is aligned with the critical path and can adapt accordingly.

Start building with Knack today and experience the power of a user-friendly, no-code platform designed to supercharge your project management.

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Critical Thinking: Creating Job-Proof Skills for the Future of Work

Daniela dumitru.

1 Teacher Training Department, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, 010374 Bucharest, Romania

2 Doctoral School of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Bucharest, 050663 Bucharest, Romania

Diane F. Halpern

3 Department of Psychology, Claremont McKenna College, Claremont, CA 91711, USA; moc.liamg@nreplahfenaid

In this study, we explore the transformative impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the job market and argue for the growing importance of critical thinking skills in the face of job automation and changing work dynamics. Advancements in AI have the potential to disrupt various professions, including, for example, programming, legal work, and radiology. However, solely relying on AI systems can lead to errors and misjudgments, emphasizing the need for human oversight. The concept of “job-proof skills” is introduced, highlighting the importance of critical thinking, problem-solving, empathy, ethics, and other human attributes that machines cannot replicate with the same standards and agility. We maintain that critical thinking can be taught and learned through appropriate classroom instruction and transfer-focused approaches. The need for critical thinking skills is further reinforced by the influx of information and the spread of misinformation in the age of social media. Moreover, employers increasingly value critical thinking skills in their workforce, yet there exists a gap between the demand for these skills and the preparedness of college graduates. Critical thinking is not only essential for the future of work, but also for informed citizenship in an increasingly complex world. The potential impact of AI on job disruption, wages, and employment polarization is discussed, highlighting the correlation between jobs requiring critical thinking skills and their resistance to automation. We conclude by discussing collaborative efforts between universities and labor market organizations to adapt curricula and promote the development of critical thinking skills, drawing on examples from European initiatives. The need to prioritize critical thinking skills in education and address the evolving demands of the labor market is emphasized as a crucial step for navigating the future of work and opportunities for workers.

1. Introduction: Critical Thinking: Creating Job-Proof Skills for the Future of Work

The rapid evolution of online technologies has ushered in a paradigm shift in employment, redefining the nature of work and the skills required to succeed in the digital age. This transformative landscape, characterized by the ubiquitous presence of the Internet, social media platforms, and advanced artificial intelligence systems, has created a plethora of new opportunities and challenges in the labor market. As we navigate this digital frontier, it is becoming increasingly clear that traditional employment paradigms are undergoing a profound transformation. The convergence of online technologies with the demands of a networked world has not only created new job opportunities, but it has also disrupted established industries, rendering some job roles obsolete while creating demand for previously unforeseen skills. In this era of unprecedented connectivity and innovation, examining the intricate interplay between online technologies and jobs is paramount as it holds the key to understanding the dynamics of our rapidly evolving workforce.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is disrupting many jobs and promises “to change the way the world works” ( adminGPT 2023, para. 13 ). The number and range of AI programs are increasing at a rapid pace, and they are likely to continually improve to meet user demands. Consider, for example, ChatGPT, which can respond to questions and requests in a way that seems to come from a human rather than a computer program. GPT stands for “generative pretrained transformer”. It is generative in that it can provide responses that it never “learned”; it is pretrained with a large language model ( Bushwick et al. 2023 ). Newer versions can describe visual images, although thus far, they cannot create visual images. Its uses are seemingly endless. It is easy to imagine how such programs can change the lives of blind individuals. In fact, it can and will change the lives of all of us.

In this paper, we argue that these advances in online technologies will make critical thinking (CT) more important than ever before. Many who are preparing to enter the job market, and many who are already employed, will need to adapt to new forms of job automation and different ways of working.

Consider, for example, that an early achievement of ChatGPT was its generation of Python code (a computer language) to compute various tasks, such as data analysis. Apparently, getting ChatGPT to generate code is so easy that several YouTube videos have popped up claiming that they can teach novice users to use ChatGPT to generate code in 90 s. ( Data Professor 2023 ). The benefits are obvious, but so are the potential job losses for people who work in Python. Python coders will need to upgrade their skills, perhaps first becoming experts in the use of ChatGPT and similar programs, but this also has a positive side--they can spend more time working on larger questions such as which analyses are needed, and, of course, carefully reviewing the work produced by AI to ensure that it is accurate and understandable. Early versions of ChatGPT responses often contained errors. A New York lawyer learned the hard way: Steven A. Schwartz, a lawyer for 30 years, used ChatGPT to create a legal document ( Weiser and Schweber 2023 ). It was filled with fake citations and bogus judicial opinions. Sadly, Mr. Schwartz never checked the accuracy of the document he filed in court. The judge was not amused. This highly public and embarrassing event should be a lesson for all of us. Current AI programs cannot be trusted to take over our work, though they may be able to aid or supplement it. However, other AI programs can “read” radiographs more accurately than human radiologists, which provides a benefit to both radiologists and patients. There is an immediate positive effect for this advancement: Radiologists will have more time to directly work with patients, and yes, they must also check the accuracy of the outputs from their programs when presenting diagnoses.

For the rest of us, whether we are students or early or late in our careers, we need to focus on the development of “job-proof skills” in the face of AI advances. A report from the United Nations defines job-proof skills as “conceptual and strategic thinking, problem-solving, empathy, optimism, ethics, emotional intelligence, and judgments are the future-proof skills and attributes that machines will not be able to replicate with the same standards and agility as qualified human beings” ( Elkeiy 2022, para. 5 ). In other words, critical thinking skills will always be needed.

2. What Is Critical Thinking?

Although some scholars in the field of critical thinking have emphasized differences among various definitions, we believe that the commonalities are evident (c.f., Dwyer 2017 ; Nisbett 2015 ; Lipman 1991 ; Fisher 2001 ). There are some differences in the use of terms and several skills might be more important, but all of the definitions (more or less) conform to our preferred definition: “Critical thinking is the use of those cognitive skills and abilities that increase the probability of a desirable outcome. It is purposeful, reasoned, and goal directed. It is the kind of thinking involved in solving problems, formulating inferences, calculating likelihoods, and making decisions. Critical thinkers use these skills appropriately, without prompting, and usually with conscious intent, in a variety of settings. That is, they are predisposed to think critically. When we think critically, we are evaluating the outcomes of our thought processes--how good a decision is or how well a problem is solved. Critical thinking also involves evaluating the thinking process--the reasoning that went into the conclusion we’ve arrived at, or the kinds of factors considered in making a decision” ( Halpern and Dunn 2023, pp. 6–7 ). The reason we need a common definition of critical thinking is that, without it, instructors can and have passed almost anything off as instruction in critical thinking. However, common ground is to be found concerning CT definitions. In a European project, which we shall refer to in Section 4.3 , the critical thinking definition is based on the works of Halpern and Dunn ( 2023 ), Facione ( 1990 ), Paul and Elder ( 2008 ), and Kuhn ( 1999 ). During two debate sessions, 33 international participants from higher education and the labor market defined critical thinking as a deliberate cognitive process guided by conscious, dynamic, self-directed, self-monitored, and self-correcting thought ( Rebelo et al. 2023 ). It relies on both disciplinary and procedural knowledge, along with metacognitive aspects (including metacognitive, meta-strategic, and epistemological dimensions). Critical thinking can be cultivated and enhanced through the development of competencies, and it is facilitated by various attitudes, such as systematic thinking, open-mindedness, empathy, flexibility, and cognitive maturity. Additionally, it encompasses intellectual skills such as reflection, self-regulation, analysis, inference, explanation, synthesis, and systematic thought. Critical thinking not only stimulates problem-solving capabilities but also facilitates effective communication, fosters independent and holistic thinking, and bolsters decision-making and active citizenship ( Pnevmatikos et al. 2021 ).

2.1. Can Critical Thinking Be Learned?

We teach writing, oral communication, and mathematics with the (often implicit) belief that these skills will be learned and transferred to multiple settings both inside and outside of the classroom. There is a large and growing research literature showing that, with appropriate classroom instruction in critical thinking, including specific instruction designed for transfer, the skills will spontaneously transfer and in uncued (i.e., there are no reminders to use the critical thinking skill that was learned in class) situations ( Dumitru 2012 ; Heijltjes et al. 2014 ; Tiruneh 2019 ). Several such studies were presented by Dwyer ( 2017 ) and Halpern and Dunn ( 2023 ). For the sake of brevity, we review just one recent study. The study was designed to counteract the effects of conspiracy theories. When people believe conspiracy theories, they often act in harmful ways–such as refusing to get the COVID-19 vaccine, which resulted in the death of large numbers of people around the world, or attacking the United State Capitol Building on 6 January 2021 in the belief that there was a conspiracy afoot designed to steal the United States 2020 presidential election from Donald Trump. In a review of the research literature on the efficacy of interventions, the researchers found “there was one intervention which was characteristically different to the rest” ( O’Mahony et al. 2023, para. 23 ). It was a semester-long university course in critical thinking that was designed to teach students the difference between good scientific practices and pseudoscience. These courses require effort and commitment, but they are effective. The same conclusion applies to all interventions designed to enhance critical thinking. There are no fast and easy “once and done” strategies that work. This is why we recommend continuous and pervasive coursework to make sure that the learning of CT skills “sticks.”

2.2. The Need for Critical Thinking Skills

Online technologies-related (including AI) job loss and redesign are not the only reasons why we need to concentrate on teaching and learning the skills of critical thinking. COVID-19 left 140 million people out of work, and many of their jobs will never return ( Roslansky 2021 ). We are drowning in a tsunami of information, confronted with advertisements online, in news reports, social media, podcasts, and more. The need to be able to distinguish good information from bad is critical. In addition, employers want to hire people with critical thinking skills. In a recent report by Hart Research Associated ( 2018 ), they found that in an employer survey of 501 business executives, 78% said that critical thinking/analytic reasoning is the most important skill they want in their employees, but they also added that only 34% of college graduates arrive well prepared in critical thinking. This gap between what employers want and their perception of the preparedness of the workforce was larger for critical thinking than for any other area. In fact, every report on the future of work made this same point. Consider this quote from The World Economic Forum ( 2020 ) on the future of jobs: “Skills gaps continue to be high as in-demand skills across jobs change in the next five years. The top skills and skill groups which employers see as rising in prominence in the lead up to 2025 include groups such as critical thinking and analysis as well as problem-solving.” (p. 5). In a report from the Office of the European Union: Key Competences for Lifelong Learning, the commissioner wrote “Critical thinking, media literacy, and communication skills are some of the requirements to navigate our increasingly complex world” ( Navracsics 2019, p. 3 ). Of course, critical thinking is not just needed in the world of work. A true democracy requires an educated citizenry with citizens who can think critically about world social issues, such as the use/threat of AI, war, poverty, climate change, and so much more. Irrational voters are a threat to all of us—and to themselves.

The need to think critically is not new, but it has taken on a new urgency as social media and other forms of communication have made the deliberate spread of misinformation move at the speed of light. There is nothing new about the use of lies, half-truths, and innuendos to get people to believe something that is not true. Anyone can post anything on popular media sites, and this “fake news” is often copied and shared thousands of times. Sometimes the information is spread with a deliberate attempt to mislead; other times, it is copied and spread by people who believe it is true. These messages are often used to discredit political adversaries, create social unrest, and incite fear. It can be a difficult task to determine what to believe and what to discard. Vosoughi et al. ( 2018 ) analyzed data from 126,000 tweets that were spread by approximately 3 million people. How did the researchers discriminate true data from false data? The same way we all should. They used several different fact-checking sites and found 95% to 98% agreement regarding the truth or falsehood of information. They found that false data spread more quickly and more widely than true data because the false data tended to be novel and sensational, rendering it salient and seductive.

In today’s landscape, the imperative to foster critical thinking skills is becoming increasingly apparent as we grapple with the rapid rise of social media and artificial intelligence technologies and their profound impact on the future of work. The confluence of these transformative forces has ushered in a new era characterized by the potential for significant job disruption. As online technologies advance and automation becomes more widespread, certain traditional job roles may become obsolete, requiring the development of innovative skills and adaptability in the workforce. In this context, critical thinking emerges as a central element in preparing individuals to navigate the evolving job market. It equips individuals with the ability to analyze complex information, discern credible sources from the proliferation of social media information, and make informed decisions in an era of blurring boundaries between human and machine contributions to the workforce. Cultivating critical thinking skills will be essential to ensuring that individuals can take advantage of the opportunities presented by new technologies while mitigating the challenges of job disruption in this AI-driven future.

3. Critical Thinking Skills and Job Disruption and Replacement

Eloundou et al. in 2023 estimated that about 15% of all U.S. workers’ jobs could be accomplished much faster and at the same level of quality with currently available AI. There are large differences in the extent to which various occupations and industries will be affected by advancements in AI. For example, tasks that require a high degree of human interaction, highly specialized domain knowledge, or creating innovative technologies will be minimally affected; whereas, other occupations such as providing captions for images or answering questions about a text or document are more likely to be affected. Routine-based jobs in general are more likely to be dislodged by advanced technologies ( Acemoglu 2002 ). Using the basic definitions of skills that are standard in O*Net, Eloundou et al. ( 2023 ) found a clear negative correlation between jobs requiring knowledge of science and critical thinking skills and the likelihood that AI will “take over” the job. These findings reinforce our main point—the best way to gain job-proof skills is with critical thinking.

The effect of online technologies on wages is complicated because of the large number of factors that come together to determine earnings. Acemoglu and Autor ( 2011 ) advocated for a model that simultaneously considers the level of the tasks required for any job (low, medium, and high), where a high level of skill is defined as one that allows employees to perform a variety of tasks, the demand for the tasks, and technological changes that can complement a task or replace it. They assert that employment has become increasingly polarized with the growth in both high education, high wage occupations and low education, and low wage occupations in the United States and the European Union. To understand and predict which occupations will be most disrupted by AI (and other developing technologies), an investigator will need to simultaneously consider all of these variables. Technological advancements can generate shifts in demand, favoring either high- or low-skilled workers. According to Acemoglu and Autor ( 2011 ), we can expect some of the largest disruptive effects at the middle level of skills, where some of the tasks performed at this level can be more easily replaced by new technologies, with widespread employment growth in high- and low-skilled occupations.

4. Business-University Collaborations

The pursuit of promoting high standards of critical thinking in university students across various academic disciplines is a challenging endeavor that should be leveraged through collaboration with stakeholders. In such collaborations, stakeholders can contribute to refining the skills required by learners and bring their own perspectives to academic instruction. This close partnership between universities and stakeholders helps minimize gaps and mismatches in the transition to the labor market, facilitates research collaboration, and increases student motivation.

Collaborations between businesses and universities have gained increasing importance in today’s rapidly evolving educational and economic landscape. These partnerships are instrumental in bridging the gap between academic learning and the real-world skills demanded by the job market. One key aspect of business-university collaboration (BUC) is the alignment of curricula with the dynamic needs of industries. This entails the joint effort of higher education institutions (HEIs) and industry experts to design, develop, and deliver educational programs that equip students with practical, job-ready skills. The curriculum design phase involves tailoring study programs, courses, and modules to address skills gaps and align with the specific requirements of employers.

Moreover, BUC extends beyond the classroom. Collaborations often involve business engagement in educational activities, including guest lectures, internships, co-op programs, and research projects. These interactions provide students with invaluable exposure to real-world scenarios, allowing them to apply theoretical knowledge in practical settings.

In essence, BUC is a multifaceted partnership that benefits both students and businesses. It ensures that educational programs remain relevant, fostering a seamless transition from academia to the workforce. This collaborative approach not only enhances students’ employability but also contributes to the overall growth and innovation of industries.

Operationalizing the collaboration implicates a particular focus on curriculum design, development, and delivery. These involve the collaboration between higher education institutions and labor market partners to create or enhance undergraduate or postgraduate study programs, courses, or modules. This collaborative effort aims to address skills gaps, align curricula with employers’ needs, integrate training initiatives, and improve graduates’ employability. Additionally, curriculum delivery includes various forms of business involvement, such as guest lectures, placements, supervision, mentoring, and work-based learning activities.

While the existing literature often discusses the barriers and motivations for university-business collaboration ( Healy et al. 2014 ; Orazbayeva et al. 2020 ), there is a need for more empirical insights into the roles and responsibilities of each party engaged in joint curriculum design, development, and delivery, as well as lessons learned from these collaborations ( Rebelo et al. 2023 ).

4.1. Why Do We Need Higher Education’s Help?

In the preceding sections of this paper, we delved into the disruptive forces of artificial intelligence (AI) on the job market and the critical need for individuals to adapt to these changes by developing “job-proof skills”. The rise of online technologies such as ChatGPT presents both opportunities and challenges, particularly in fields where middle-level skills are required. To effectively tackle these challenges, we must turn our attention to the pivotal role of education and the cultivation of essential skills such as critical thinking.

We highlighted how AI is rapidly transforming various industries and the need for individuals to adapt to these changes. Moreover, we explored the question of whether critical thinking can be learned, showcasing research evidence that supports the teachability of this skill. Now, we shall explore practical strategies for fostering critical thinking skills through collaborations between universities and businesses. The idea here is to create an educational framework that equips students with the capabilities needed to thrive in the evolving workforce.

Building upon the success of two European projects, “Critical thinking across higher education curricula—CRITHINKEDU” and “Critical thinking for successful jobs—THINK4JOBS”, we argue that incorporating practical experience and CT development through apprenticeships is a possible action for better higher education classes. This collaborative approach between HEI and LMO designed to address the differing perspectives and terminologies used by these two entities regarding critical thinking could be an important curriculum design for the better adaptation of job market technology disruptions.

Research conducted by Eloundou et al. ( 2023 ), which shows that critical thinking skills and science skills are less likely to be taken by AI, compels us to sustain the THINK4JOBS apprenticeship curricula as a possible teaching protocol for critical thinking enhancement to face challenges posed by AI at work.

The results from these projects demonstrate significant progress in students’ critical thinking skills and dispositions. These improvements, as highlighted below in Section 4.3 , underscore the effectiveness of embedding critical thinking in the curriculum. The guidelines formulated for implementing Critical Thinking Blended Apprenticeship Curricula provide a roadmap for educators to follow when effectively integrating critical thinking into their courses.

As we ponder the possibility of a world where critical thinking is widespread, we can envision a future where individuals are equipped to confront the ideological fanaticism that threatens global stability. Critical thinking, as both a cognitive skill and a disposition, has the potential to shape a workforce capable of adapting to the ever-changing landscape of work, making informed decisions, and contributing to a more rational and democratic world. The THINK4JOBS project emphasizes the practical steps taken to prepare students for the future job market and sets the stage for further exploration of the role of critical thinking in addressing global challenges, including AI presence in the job market.

4.2. CRITHINKEDU Proctocol for Critical Thinking Education across Curricula

Given that the best education for the future of work is the acquisition of critical thinking skills, how can we facilitate this sort of education? One way to obtain a job-proof education is to create classes with the help of labor market organizations. Two projects funded by the European Union were designed to bring to life the idea that better communication and collaboration between universities and employers result in a better adaptation of the curriculum, especially a curriculum involving critical thinking skill development.

Between 2016 and 2019, the project “Critical thinking across the European higher education curriculum—CRITHINKEDU” focused on how CT is taught in various academic domains. The CRITHINKEDU project, involving universities across Europe, exemplifies how academia and industry can join forces to bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world job demands. This initiative aimed to enhance the curriculum by explicitly emphasizing critical thinking skill development. It revealed that employers across various fields value critical thinking, and they perceive it as essential for recent graduates entering the workforce.

The participants were eleven universities from nine European countries (Belgium, Czech Republic, Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Romania, Lithuania, and Ireland; Dominguez 2018). Qualitative research was conducted with 32 focus groups comprised of professionals from various European countries and fields. The findings align with previous studies: “CT is a set of interconnected skills (interpretation, inference, analysis, explanation, evaluation, self-regulation”, see Payan-Carreira et al. ( 2023, p. 16 ), and dispositions (open-mindedness, refection, attentiveness, organization, perseverance, intrinsic goal motivation ( Payan-Carreira et al. 2023 ), essential for recent graduates in response to labor market demands. However, an important consideration is that the practical application of CT varies across professional fields. The participants in this study defined the ideal critical thinker as someone with a cultivated mindset, motivated to learn and improve, and equipped with cognitive and behavioral tools to anticipate, regulate, and monitor their thinking. CT is associated with problem-solving and decision-making and is intertwined with other skills such as proactivity, adaptability, creativity, emotional intelligence, communication, and teamwork. The report from this project also introduced “a European collection of the Critical Thinking skills and dispositions needed in different professional fields for the 21st century” ( Dominguez 2018 ), which categorizes CT skills and dispositions based on professional fields and offers a basis for defining learning objectives and adapting university curricula. This study provides valuable insights from 189 European employers into CT needs in the labor market for new graduates. The interviewed professionals had an obvious preference for CT skills in STEM fields and an obvious preference for dispositions in the Humanities. Social Sciences and bio-medical sciences professionals were equally interested in CT skills and dispositions, with a slight preference for dispositions ( Dominguez 2018, p. 28 ).

4.3. Next Steps: THINK4JOBS Blended Appreticeship Curricula

After the termination of the CRITHINKEDU project, partners from Romania, Greece, Lithuania, and Portugal, with the addition of a new partner from Germany, proposed a new research application: “Critical Thinking for Successful Jobs—THINK4JOBS” ( www.think4jobs.uowm.gr ). The idea was to utilize the results from the previous project and, together with labor market organizations, create new courses that are more adapted to the reality of the future of work. The core element of the classes was explicit teaching of critical thinking, using real-life cases and methods. In an apprenticeship model, critical thinking skills are embedded in a relevant context. The value of realistic contexts is that students can see the need for the skills being taught in a workplace scenario. Relevant contexts enhance student engagement and motivation to learn. Dumitru et al. ( 2021 ) focused on improving students’ critical thinking skills and dispositions through collaboration between Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and Labor Market Organizations (LMOs). The aim was to bridge the gap between HEI curricula and the expectations of the labor market by incorporating apprenticeships that provide practical experience and CT development.

The process of mapping responses from those in the labor market organizations onto college curricula involved the use of research methods such as observation, focus groups, and documentary analysis, with stakeholders from HEIs and LMOs participating. The findings indicated that while there were no definitive “gaps” between HEIs and LMOs, there were contextual differences in the approach to CT. HEIs focus on long-term career preparation, while LMOs emphasize short-term learning strategies. The terminology and expression of CT also differed between the two contexts. Based on the findings, ten work-based scenarios were created, with one from each discipline involved in the project. Overall, the report ( Dumitru et al. 2021 ) highlighted the different goals and perspectives of HEIs and LMOs regarding CT, emphasizing the need for collaboration and a common understanding of which skills should be included in the college curriculum.

There is a different context in the approach to CT, since HEIs usually use different learning activities, focusing more on career preparation with long-term goals, while LMOs follow compact and short-term learning and teaching strategies. Furthermore, the findings suggest that CT is a new workplace requirement and that HEIs and LMOs do not choose the same terminology when referring to the concept, with HEIs usually choosing scientific terms. Another element that emerged is that CT is generally expressed in a declarative way in higher education institutions, while in LMOs the application to specific cases follows a more procedural approach. Put another way, LMOs are focused on making a profit, while HEI is focused on being socially responsible.

In the second phase of the project, partners ( Pnevmatikos et al. 2021 ) focused on the development of a collaborative training curriculum for Higher Education Instructors and LMO tutors. The purpose of the training was to enhance comprehension and knowledge of critical thinking for both sides of this collaboration, since previous research indicated a potential lack of conceptual and procedural understanding between these two entities. Additionally, the training aimed to facilitate the promotion, support, and evaluation of students’ CT skills within apprenticeship curricula, as well as the creation of blended curricula utilizing an open-source learning platform. The training course encompassed workshops that delved into various aspects of CT, including analyzing and reassembling ideas about CT, formulating a working definition of CT, instructional methodologies, blended learning techniques, usage of a learning platform, CT assessment, and the development of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between higher education institutions and LMOs. The participants’ knowledge about these topics was assessed through pre- and post-training online questionnaires. Although data analysis showed various predicted trends, only perceived self-confidence in the topics covered during the training obtained statistical significance ( Pnevmatikos et al. 2021 ).

In the final report from this project, Payan-Carreira et al. ( 2023 ) presented the results of the implementation of the critical thinking Blended Apprenticeships Curricula (CTBAC) and discussed the improvements in critical thinking skills and dispositions observed in students. The study involved cross-disciplinary analysis and assessed changes before and after the piloting activities. A total of 609 students participated, and their critical thinking skills and dispositions were evaluated.

The consortium chose the Critical Thinking Self-Assessment Scale (CTSAS) developed by Nair ( 2011 ) as an instrument to assess CT skills based on an earlier conceptualization ( Facione 1990 ). The questionnaire has been tested in various geographic and cultural contexts, demonstrating good reliability, internal consistency, and confirmatory factor analysis results. However, the original CTSAS was considered too long to complete, consisting of 115 items, so a shorter version was specifically developed for this project. The short form of the questionnaire (CTSAS-SF) was created through a two-step process. Items with loading weights below .500 were eliminated, resulting in 84 remaining items. Redundant and non-cognitive-focused items were marked for elimination, leaving 60 items. The short form maintained the original scale’s framework and utilized a seven-point Likert scale ranging from 0 (Never) to 6 (Always) for students to respond to items assessing various dimensions and subdimensions of CT skills.

The CTSAS-SF validation process, with confirmatory factor analysis, resulted in two models with equivalent satisfactory goodness-of-fit indices. Model 4, the second-order factor model (RMSEA = .051; TLI = .924; CFI = .927), had a chi-square/df ratio of 2.33. The Cronbach alpha of the overall instrument was excellent (α = .969). Sample items are shown in Table 1 .

Sample items forming Critical Thinking Self-Assessment Scale (CTSAS), Nair ( 2011 ).

Compared to instruments for assessing CT skills, the availability of instruments for measuring critical thinking (CT) dispositions is limited. However, one of the instruments adopted by the consortium to assess CT dispositions is the Student-Educator Negotiated Critical Thinking Dispositions Scale (SENCTDS), which was developed by Quinn et al. ( 2020 ). The scale was validated with a mixed population of Irish and American undergraduate students. The scale considers a variety of CT dispositions that the authors consider important for the labor market and real-world decision-making. Some of the items in the scale combine Facione ’s ( 1990 ) original CT dispositions into new dimensions that are relevant to academic and labor market success, such as organization, perseverance, and intrinsic goal motivation. The scale consists of six dimensions (Reflection, Attentiveness, Open-mindedness, Organization, Perseverance, and Intrinsic Goal Motivation) and presents statements for students to respond to using a 7-point Likert scale. The Likert scale ranges from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree). The original version of the SENCTDS contains 21 items. The validation process, with confirmatory factor analysis, identified only one model presenting a satisfactory goodness-of-fit index—model 3, comprised of six correlated factors (RMSEA = .054; TLI = .974; CFI = .969) with a chi-square/df ratio of 2.57. The instrument presented a high Cronbach alpha (α = .842), suggesting a strong internal consistency of the instrument. Sample items are presented in Table 2 .

Sample items from Student-Educator Negotiated Critical Thinking Dispositions Scale (SENCTDS), developed by Quinn et al. ( 2020 ).

The analysis showed gains in critical thinking skills and indicated that changes were more prominent in skills than dispositions. All skills (interpretation, analysis, inference, explanation, self-regulation, and evaluation) obtained significant differences between the pretest and posttest, with p ≤ .0001 to all skills, plus the integrated critical thinking skills score was t = 9.705 and p ≤ .0001, which demonstrates strong significant difference between pre- and the posttest. Dispositions displayed no significant differences regarding the integrated score, but showed significant differences in reflection (t = 1.766, p = .079), open-mindedness (t = 2.636, p = .009), organization (t = 2.568, p = .011), and intrinsic goal motivation (t = 1.712, p = .088).

Based on the findings from the implementation of the blended apprenticeship curricula, the following guidelines were formulated for implementing Critical Thinking Blended Apprenticeship Curricula ( Payan-Carreira et al. 2023 ):

• Provide an explanation of the importance of critical thinking—Clearly communicate to students why critical thinking is a vital skill in today’s workforce and how it is valued in specific professions. Explicitly incorporate the development of critical thinking as an outcome of the course.
• Emphasize continuous and pervasive CT training—To achieve success, there should be a concerted effort across disciplinary curricula to foster students’ critical thinking skills and dispositions. Skills require training, and dispositions necessitate the internalization of desired attitudes. Therefore, sufficient time and a collaborative approach at the disciplinary level are necessary for consistent and significant progress.
• Allocate dedicated time—Building on the previous point, it is essential to allocate specific time within the course to work on the proposed critical thinking goals. Students and educators need to schedule activities and create opportunities for preparation, development, and feedback exchange. This ensures that the intervention leads to meaningful, lasting learning.
• Establish connections with real-world scenarios—Foster student engagement and improve their perception of learning experiences by incorporating case studies that reflect situations professionals encounter in their daily work. By grounding the learning content in reality, students are more likely to be motivated and actively participate in the educational process.

Foster reflection on CT skills and dispositions—Offer students the chance to reflect on their reasoning processes and the attitudes they have developed throughout their learning experiences. Encouraging reflective thinking enhances the effectiveness of learning interventions and helps cultivate a deeper understanding of one’s experiences.

These steps aim to guide educators in effectively implementing the critical thinking blended apprenticeship curricula while also maximizing the impact of critical thinking development in students.

The two European projects made a great start in integrating the skills that employers want employees to learn from university curricula, but the results are nonetheless provisional. There is not a clear agreement among participating universities regarding how best to teach critical thinking, nor any regarding its importance for future jobs. We urge that more work should be done to nurture critical thinking within university curricula in order to provide our current students—who represent the future of the workforce—the much-wanted job-proof skills they need.

5. European Recommendations and Good Practices

Critical thinking stands as a pivotal goal for European Higher Education Institutions. To facilitate the attainment of this objective, we present an educational protocol that draws from comprehensive research and practical experiences, including insights from the CRITHINKEDU project. This protocol amalgamates insights from both theoretical and empirical studies on critical thinking with practical strategies for its cultivation.

Recommendations go toward signing memorandums of understanding between universities and labor market organizations to cultivate strong partnerships ( Rebelo et al. 2023 ). Effective collaboration between universities and businesses is crucial in fostering critical thinking. This partnership thrives on the synergy that results when academic institutions and businesses combine their expertise, resources, and perspectives. Strategies such as aligning goals, fostering long-term commitment, and promoting a culture of collaboration can strengthen these partnerships and ensure that academic research is harmoniously aligned with real-world needs.

Another recommendation relates to the formulation of compelling goals . Accurate and transparent goals are fundamental to the successful implementation of university-industry collaborations to promote critical thinking. These goals must be clearly defined and easily understood at multiple levels, from the institutional to the program and course levels. Recognition of critical thinking as an overarching goal implies its integration into assessment and evaluation processes.

Another recommendation is to develop flexible curricula . To effectively foster critical thinking, curricula must demonstrate adaptability and responsiveness to emerging trends and market demands. The use of agile curriculum design methodologies and the involvement of business partners in curriculum development is of great value. Approaches such as problem-based and case-based learning facilitate rapid adaptation to evolving market needs, such as the use of AI-powered software to solve work tasks better and faster. Regular feedback mechanisms and ongoing collaboration with business partners ensure that curricula remain relevant and flexible.

Incorporating real-world challenges and case studies into curricula bridges the gap between academia and the business world, creating an environment that encourages experiential learning. The active involvement of business stakeholders in providing relevant challenges plays a key role. Students’ problem-solving skills are enhanced by shifting from traditional teaching methods to project-based, problem-based, or case-based learning. Engaging students through apprenticeships, internships, guest lectures, and seminars immerses them in authentic work environments and fosters their professional development.

Ongoing, multi-faceted evaluation is a cornerstone of the collaboration between higher education and the business community to cultivate critical thinking. Assessment includes measuring learners’ progress in critical thinking, the effectiveness of curricula, and the impact of partnerships through the use of key performance indicators.

Regarding how to implement a critical thinking curriculum, pedagogical research ( Elen et al. 2019 ) suggests that in the development of critical thinking, whether it is regarded as a skill, disposition, or a combination of both, three categories of supportive measures can be identified: modeling, induction, and declaration.

Modeling: Support the development of critical thinking skills by demonstrating what it means to think critically at the institutional, programmatic, and course levels, considering multiple perspectives and alternative viewpoints.

Induction: Support critical thinking development by provoking critical thinking through the presentation of open-ended questions, unstructured tasks, complex problems, and real-world issues. The exact nature of “induction” and how it is implemented may vary across fields and disciplines. Induction can be carried out in a variety of ways; for example, presenting unstructured problems, providing authentic tasks, encouraging constructive controversy, asking “why” questions, or encouraging student autonomy.

Explanation: Promote the development of critical thinking by articulating or explicitly stating what is at stake, what strategies can be used, and what criteria must be met. This explanation can take the form of oral or written communication and should always be explicit and specific. Declaring and making things explicit can be accomplished in a variety of ways, including using critical thinking rubrics, developing elaborate concept maps, providing feedback on critical thinking, and engaging in discussion and reflection on critical issues.

This integrated approach, encompassing university-business collaboration and an educational protocol, underscores the significance of critical thinking in higher education. It provides a structured framework for nurturing this essential skill by aligning objectives, fostering partnerships, adapting curricula, and implementing ongoing evaluation practices. In doing so, educational institutions are better poised to equip students with the critical thinking skills needed to thrive in a rapidly evolving world.

6. Concluding Remarks or Can Critical THINKING Save the World?

In summary, the dynamic interaction between universities, businesses, and the evolving technology landscape, including the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and online technologies, underscore the critical need to nurture and develop students’ critical thinking skills. As we navigate the challenges posed by AI and the ever-expanding digital realm, collaborative efforts between academia and industry have proven to be instrumental in preparing students for the future job market.

Incorporating real-world experiences, such as apprenticeships, into the curriculum is an important step toward improving students’ critical thinking skills in real-world contexts. Projects such as “Critical thinking across higher education curricula—CRITHINKEDU” and “Critical thinking for successful jobs—THINK4JOBS” have demonstrated the potential of these collaborations to bridge the gap between classroom learning and industry needs. In addition, the development of flexible curricula that can adapt to the evolving needs of the job market, especially considering online technologies, is essential. By integrating real-world challenges and case studies into the curriculum, students gain valuable problem-solving skills and are better prepared to navigate the complexities of the digital age.

Ongoing assessment and evaluation are critical components of this collaborative effort, ensuring that critical thinking remains a central focus and that students are making meaningful progress in acquiring this essential skill.

With the disruption of AI and the ubiquity of online technologies, the integration of critical thinking into higher education curricula is more important than ever. It enables students not only to thrive in a technology-driven world, but also to contribute to a rational, democratic, and globally interconnected society. The partnerships forged between universities and businesses, along with a well-defined educational protocol, provide a roadmap for cultivating these essential skills and preparing students for the challenges and opportunities of the future job market. The imperative to foster critical thinking in university curricula remains a fundamental step in equipping tomorrow’s workforce to navigate the complexities of an AI-influenced job market and a rapidly changing world.

Lilienfeld ( 2007, para. 3 ) said it well: “The greatest threat to the world is ideological fanaticism, by ideological fanaticism I mean the unshakeable conviction that one’s belief system and that of other in-group members is always right and righteous and that others’ belief systems are always wrong and wrong-headed”. Imagine a world where (most or even many) people use the skills of critical thinking. Just maybe, CT could save the world.

The job market will require a psychologically adaptable toolkit, and we propose that critical thinking is an essential component therein. The disruptions imposed by new technological advances such as AI will require students to learn new employable skills because we will need not just an engineer, but a critical thinking engineer; not just a programmer, but a critical thinking programmer; and not just a journalist, but a critical thinking journalist. The dignity of workers—their humanity and our collective survival—may well depend on CT, a very human creation.

Acknowledgments

We sincerely thank Dana Dunn, Moravian University, for comments on an earlier version of this manuscript.

Funding Statement

Daniela Dumitru received funding from European Commission/EACEA, through the ERASMUS+ Programme, “Critical Thinking for Successful Jobs—Think4Jobs” Project, with the reference number 2020-1-EL01-KA203-078797.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, D.F.H. and D.D.; investigation, D.F.H. and D.D.; resources, D.F.H. and D.D.; writing—original draft preparation, D.F.H. and D.D.; writing—review and editing, D.F.H. and D.D. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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