Critical Thinking

Throughout the various project performance domains, there is a need to recognize bias, identify the root cause of problems, and consider challenging issues, such as ambiguity, complexity, and so forth. Critical thinking helps to accomplish these activities. Critical thinking includes disciplined, rational, logical, evidence-based thinking. It requires an open mind and the ability to analyze objectively. Critical thinking, especially when applied to discovery, can include conceptual imagination, insight, and intuition. It can also include reflective thinking and metacognition (thinking about thinking and being aware of one’s awareness).

Project team members apply critical thinking to:

• Research and gather unbiased, well-balanced information;
• Recognize, analyze, and resolve problems;
• Identify bias, unstated assumptions, and values;
• Discern the use of language and the influence on oneself and others;
• Analyze data and evidence to evaluate arguments and perspectives;
• Observe events to identify patterns and relationships;
• Apply inductive, deductive, and abductive reasoning appropriately; and
• Identify and articulate false premises, false analogy, emotional appeals, and other faulty logic.