Company Name: Faculty Training Institute Telephone: Fax: Cell Phone: Email: krishfti.co.za Website:

Course Title:   Analytical Thinking & Creative Problem Solving

Course Introduction

Modern knowledge workers work almost exclusively in jobs that require them to solve business problems, take decisions, be able to ‘see the big picture’ and think about consequences. Most people, once they leave the formal education system, do not focus on any further learning or continuing to develop their thinking skills. As their careers progress, they become more expert in a few things, but less capable in dealing with or understanding things outside their domain of expertise. They become competent at solving problems that are routine, but are less able to apply these problem solving skills in wider contexts. 

Research shows that most people only use a fraction of their cognitive abilities. Yet the ongoing exercise of the brain function (like a focus on physical health and doing physical exercise) can reduce mental debilitation throughout life. 

This challenging, but entertaining, course revisits many of the thinking skills that lie dormant in the average person. The course explores various kinds of individual and group problem solving approaches, and shows how the wrong approach merely perpetuates problems rather than solving them. 

The course also describes various thinking styles; delegates come away with a greater appreciation of the way they think. The course has many interesting and fun problem-solving exercises, but the real value is that delegates go away with a fresh outlook on organizational problem solving, and are motivated to expand their cognitive horizons. 

Duration 
2 days of full-day training

Target Audience
The course has wide appeal. Delegates may be drawn from many different levels and experience, and from any area of the business. The skills developed are of especial value for delegates whose core responsibilities include the understanding and solution of business problems, especially those requiring creative and different solutions. 

The skills and techniques developed are core life skills, and are equally applicable in the solution of ‘hard’ problems requiring logical reasoning and deductive techniques, such as planning, business administration, reporting, business analysis, or software testing, as well as ‘soft’ problems involving people issues, generally associated with management or leadership. 

Course Delivery
The course delivery comprises instructor-led seminars interspersed with extensive practical exercises for both the group and the individual

Course Objectives
After completing the course, delegates will be able to:

• describe the problem-solving process

• understand the importance of fact finding and analysis in problem solving, and be able to distinguish, evaluate and summarise relevant information 

• identify various problem-solving techniques and approaches to problem solving

• apply these techniques in the solution of business problems

• understand thinking models and have practiced exercises designed to help you think outside-the-box a generate a larger solution space

• understand creativity and blocks to creativity, and learn some basic techniques to help you think more creatively

• be able to arrive at an objective, well reasoned decisions consistent with the information to hand, in a reasonable time 

Day 1: Problem Solving Process
The Problem solving Process (Realising the benefits of problems, Common barriers to effective problem solving, Solving problems in a structured way ) , Defining problems / opportunities, identifying and structuring objectives, ,Applying problem solving tools and techniques , Logical and analytical tools and techniques 

Understanding Problem Analysis (Information Gathering, Seeing Patterns, Analytical Thinking and Deductive Reasoning, Root cause analysis, Decomposition)

Day 2: Analytical and creative thinking Skills
Different thinking types (analytical, critical, creative), Knowing how we think, Reasoned thinking and problem solving, including systems thinking, convergent and divergent thinking, root cause analysis. 

Generating ideas in a Solution Space, Creativity – tools and techniques, Lateral thinking (Thinking outside the box, Creativity unblockers), Decision-making and evaluation techniques

Course Title 2 Analytical Thinking & Creative Problem Solving Classification Business -> Analytical Thinking Course Requirements Course Prerequisites: Successful past candidates have been drawn from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences. We do not exclude any delegate who is strongly motivated to do the course, so there are no strict pre-requisites. However, delegates who do not have a Matriculation certificate or who are not involved in day-to-day tasks that require critical thinking (decision-making), analytical thinking (problem solving) or creative thinking (solution generation) may find some parts of the course very challenging! Price Costs and Terms: The cost of this course is available on request. Discounts apply for large numbers or in-house courses. Course fees cover tuition, materials, notes and catering. All fees are payable in advance, and interest is levied on overdue accounts. Please refer to the standard terms and conditions on the course confirmation form. Notes Course Accreditation: Faculty Training Institute is an Approved Education & Training Provider with the ISETT SETA, having received this approval in January 2003. This course has not yet been mapped to specific unit standards within the NQF framework. However, academically and intellectually, the course content and exercises would be appropriate for level 5 on the NQF.

Course Information Location Western Cape - Cape Town Course Type Part Time Day Start Dates Length of Course 2 Days Final Registration Date

Contact Details Name Faculty Training Institute Phone Email krishfti.co.za