Critical

Thinking
By:
Deepika H
Deepika R.
Dheeraj Srinath
Darshan G.
Divya N.

What is critical thinking?

It is thinking that is purposeful, reasoned, and goal
directed
It is searching, plotting, making associations,
explaining, analyzing, probing for multiple angles,
justifying, scrutinizing, making decisions, solving
problems, and investigating
It is literally thinking about something from many
angles.
Critical thinking is about making informed,
enlightened, educated, open-minded decisions in
college in relationships in finances and decisions in
life in general.

Critical Thinking
To think critically, we must ask questions about the
information or data we have collected.
Is it important?
Is it relevant?
Is it applicable?
Is it significant?
But thats not enough. We must also ask questions
about the conclusion weve drawn from the
information weve collected
Is the conclusion fair?
Is it logical?
Is it reasonable?
Is it consistent with all the information collected?

Techniques of critical
thinking
6 Thinking Hats
Using 6 different
mindsets to solve a
problem.

Mind Mapping
Map whatever yours
mind thinks.

Mind Mapping
A mind map is a diagram used to visually outline
information.
A mind map is often created around a single word
or text, placed in the center, to which associated
ideas, words and concepts are added.
Major categories radiate from a central node, and
lesser categories are sub-branches of larger
branches.
Categories can representwords,ideas,tasks, or
other items related to a central key word or idea.

Guidelines
Start in the center with an image of the topic,
using at least 3 colors.
Use images, symbols, codes, and dimensions
throughout your mind map.
Select key words and print using upper or lower
case letters.
Each word/image is best alone and sitting on its
own line.
The lines should be connected, starting from the
central image. The central lines are thicker, organic
and thinner as they radiate out from the center.

 Make the lines the same length as the

word/image they support.
Use multiple colours throughout the mind map,
for visual stimulation and also to encode or group.
Develop your own personal style of mind
mapping.
Use emphasis and show associations in your mind
map.
Keep the mind map clear by using radial
hierarchy, numerical order or outlines to embrace
your branches.

Six Thinking Hats

There are six different imaginary hats that
you can put on or take off.
Think of the hats as thinking icons.
Each hat is a different color and represents a
different type or mode of thinking.
We all wear the same hat (do the same type
of thinking) at the same time.
When we change hats - we change our
thinking.

The Blue Hat Role

Only one blue hat in a group.

Control the thinking & the process
Begin & end session with blue hat
Role of Blue Hat:
o
o
o
o
o

open, sequence, close

Focus: what should we be thinking about
Asking the right questions
Defining & clarifying the problem
Setting the thinking tasks

Thinking Process

Why we are here

what we are thinking about
Definition of the situation or problem
Alternative definitions
what we want to achieve
where we want to end up
The background to the thinking

Anne Egros- International Business

Coach-Zest and Zen

April 2009

13

White Hat Thinking

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Neutral, objective information

Facts & figures
Questions: what do we know, what dont we
know, what do we need to know
Excludes opinions, judgments
Removes feelings & impressions

Green Hat Thinking

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

New ideas, concepts, perceptions

Deliberate creation of new ideas
Alternatives and more alternatives
New approaches to problems
Creative & lateral thinking

Yellow Hat Thinking

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Positive & speculative

Positive thinking, optimism, opportunity
Benefits
Best-case scenarios
Exploration

Black Hat Thinking

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Cautious and careful

Logical negative why it wont work
Critical judgement, pessimistic view
Separates logical negative from emotional
Focus on errors, evidence, conclusions
Logical & truthful, but not necessarily fair

Red Hat Thinking

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Emotions & feelings

Intuitions, impressions
Doesnt have to be logical or consistent
No justifications, reasons or basis
All decisions are emotional in the end

Hats sequence in meetings

1. Facilitator (Blue Hat) Open Clarifying the problem
2. Present the facts of the case (White Hat).
3. Generate ideas, how the case could be handled (Green Hat).
4. Evaluate the merits of the ideas, List benefits (Yellow Hat).
5. List drawbacks (Black Hat).
6. Get everybody's gut feeling about the alternatives (Red Hat).
7. Summarize (Blue Hat).