AMA-2558: Analytical Thinking, Problem Solving and Decision Making

Module 1: Components of Thought

•  Describe the Science Behind How the Brain Works When Analyzing a Typical Decision
•  Recognize the Importance of Analytical Thinking in Business
•  Define Three Key Analytical Reasoning Skills: Assessing Patterns, Recognizing Probabilities, and Thinking Hypothetically

Module 2: ART: Assess Patterns

•  Describe the Three Subskills Associated with the Analytical Reasoning Skill of Assessing Patterns
•  Distinguish Between Three Common Information Patterns
•  Explain How Recognizing Patterns Can Increase the Efficiency of Decision Making

Module 3: ART: Recognize Probabilities

•  Describe Three Subskills Associated with the Analytical Reasoning Skill of Recognizing Probabilities
•  Discuss How Your Personal Judgment About the Likelihood of an Outcome May Influence Your Ability to Solve Problems
•  Identify Implicit Probabilities to Assess the Level of Risk Within a Given Situation
•  Assess the Frequency of Specific Occurrences
•  Explain How Probability Judgments Can Help You Work Within Multiple Constraints When Problem Solving

Module 4: ART: Think Hypothetically

•  Distinguish Between Inductive and Deductive Thinking
•  Create a Hypothesis That Will Lead to Developing Decision Alternatives
•  Use Counterfactual Thinking to Test Your Hypothesis
•  Assess When You Do Not Have Enough Information to Form a Complete Hypothesis

Module 5: Applying ART to Real-World Situations

•  Apply All Three Bundles of Analytical Thinking (A-R-T) Skills to Real Business Scenarios
•  Enhance the Ability to See the Relevance of Analytical Reasoning Skills for Day-to-Day Work
•  Gain Greater Facility with Analytical Reasoning Skills By Practicing Them

Module 6: Connecting the Dots: Analytical Reasoning and Decision Making

•  Define What a Decision Is and How Analytical Reasoning and Decision Making Are Related
•  Distinguish Between Two Types of Decisions—Simple and Complex
•  Become Familiar with Three Decision Analysis Tools—Decision Worksheets, Decision Trees, and Force Field Analysis

Module 7: Personal Decision-Making Preferences

•  Recognize How Values and Experience Inform Our Perceptions
•  Identify Your Personal Decision-Making Preferences
•  Identify Others’ Personal Decision-Making Preferences
•  Explain How Group Decision Making Differs from Individual Decision Making

Module 8: Psychological Factors Impacting Decision Making

•  Identify Personal Attitudes Toward Decision Making
•  Articulate the Common Reasons for Decision Avoidance
•  Describe the Key Cause of Decisions Made in Haste—Overconfidence
•  Apply Techniques to Avoid the Most Common Pitfalls of Decision Making

Module 9: Personal Judgment and Decision Making

•  Describe the “Dual Process” of Decision Making
•  Define Personal Judgment (Heuristics)
•  Identify Your Personal Heuristics (Rules of Thumb)
•  Apply Four Techniques to Sharpen Personal Judgment
•  Explain the Impact of Emotion on Personal Judgment

Module 10: The Context for Analytical Reasoning and Decision Making

•  Understand Your Organizational Context and How This Impacts Your Decision Making
•  Apply Interpersonal and Communication Skills to Convey Your Decision with Maximum Impact
•  Anticipate Pitfalls You May Encounter with Analytical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making
•  Create an Action Plan for Developing Analytical, Problem Solving, and Decision-Making Skills