Critical Thinking at Work

Critical thinking is the consideration of alternative arguments or theories in light of evidence; it consists of weighing two or more ideas to see which is closer to the truth. In this video led by critical thinking expert Connie Missimer, you'll explore several facets of this fundamental method of reasoning and discover how critical thinking can positively affect every aspect of your business. You'll learn why this way of thinking is different from other types of thinking (e.g., following a habit, gut instincts, etc.); understand how critical thinking equips you to move toward better answers or more effective solutions; and discover the ways you can use critical thinking to facilitate innovative thinking in your workplace.

• Gain a complete understanding of what critical thinking is—and what it is not
• Discover how critical thinking positively impacts business processes and spurs product innovation
• Sharpen your critical thinking skills, such as the ability to identify and question assumptions
• Learn from a set of specific critical thinking examples that can guide your daily work

Connie Missimer is a philosopher and expert in critical thinking. Her book Good Arguments: An Introduction to Critical Thinking, 4th Edition (Pearson), offers the basics in analyzing theories and arguments. Connie honed her ideas surrounding the business value of critical thinking during her decade plus tenure as a senior-level UX designer and user researcher at Microsoft and AT&T. She holds an MS in Philosophical Literature from UC Berkeley and an MS in Human Centered Design and Engineering from the University of Washington.