CoRT 1

Thinking Tools

DATT
CoRT 1 Tools and techniques

The CoRT 1 tools are part of the CoRT

programm created by Dr Edward de Bono,
with the aim to help persons explore and
give breadth during decision making and
problem solving.
CoRT
Consider All Factors: CAF

The CAF tool is the prime information

input tool
Used before generating ideas.
The CAF tool is the process of exploring
all factors in any situation.
Consider All Factors: CAF

Factors are like headings which then need to be

further expanded and detailed.
A CAF of a project would be
Purpose, Feasibility, Fit, Acceptance, Impact

What should we bring to mind?

What must we not leave out?
How to Consider All Factors: CAF

The factors affecting oneself

The factors affecting other people
The factors affecting your organisation
The factors affecting the profession
The factors affecting society in general.
First Important Priorities - FIP

The FIP narrows down long lists to those

things that need to be done first and those
things that are the most important
Priorities guide all that we do, so priorities are
extremely important. Some things matter
much more than others
F.I.P. First Important Priorities

In choosing priorities ask two questions:

Without this, (action) would the project go ahead.

ie. feasibility
Without this, (action) would project be worth doing
ie. What is the value of this action
Aims, Goals, Objectives A.G.O.

The A.G.O. tool looks at the intention behind the

actions. What is our purpose?
The A.G.O. tool helps to clarify the aim, goal or
objective of our thinking. Use it at the beginning of a
thinking session
The A.G.O. is an action tool. It is for making things
happen
Aims, goals and objectives all mean the same thing in
the DATT course
There are three levels of objectives: overall objectives,
sub-objectives and right-now objectives
Aims, Goals, Objectives

First there is the general aim of our thinking

such as exploring a subject or solving a
problem
We then plug in the specific need
Think of alternate definitions to a problem.
Some problem definitions are more productive
than others
Alternatives, Possibilities, Choices APC

APC is an attempt to focus on exploring all

the alternatives, choices, and possibilities
- beyond the obvious.
Consequence and Sequel: C & S

Isa tool that is focused directly on the

future
Calls for crystallisation of the process of
looking ahead
To seeing the consequences of some
action plan, decisions rules and invention
on different time intervals
Consequence and Sequel: C & S

Immediate
Shortmedium
Long-term consequences
Decisions

In making decisions you have to

> Consider all the factors. CAF
> Be clear about aims/objectives. AGO
> Assess priorities. FIP
> Look at consequences. CS
> Discover alternative courses of action. APC
> You can also do a PMI (plus, minus,
interesting) on the decision once made.
Plus, Minus, Interesting: PMI

Designed to ensure that decision or

commitment takes place after both sides
of the matter have been considered and
not before. The 'I' of PMI can be used as a
tool in subsequent lessons.
Other People's View: OPV

This considers the process of looking at

other people's viewpoints so that the process
can be used consciously and deliberately to
escape from one's own point of view.
PLANNING

The idea is to use planning as a thinking

situation which brings together: objectives
(AGO), consequences (C&S), the factors
involved (CAF) and the treatment of ideas
(PMI).
RULES -

Provides an opportunity for practicing

PMI and CAF
An existing or proposed rule is an opportunity
for practicing PMI. The factors involved in
making a rule provide practice in CAF.
Now lets try to work some
exercises