Critical Thinking Skills Workshop

In this workshop, analysts learn how to frame their line of argument more effectively, better identify gaps or vulnerabilities in the organization of their paper or project, greatly reduce time spent in coordination and editing, and significantly increase the persuasiveness of the final product.

Length:

3 days

Who should take this course?

New analysts who want to learn how to improve their critical thinking and writing skills to succeed as analysts in the Intelligence Community.

Cost:

Description:

This workshop engages new analysts in multiple exercises to improve their critical thinking and writing skills. Using numerous interactive, hands-on exercises, students are presented with various situations and case studies to help them organize their projects and papers and generate high quality products that respond to specific customer needs. In most of the exercises, the students are broken into small breakout groups. This gives them practice in working as a group and sharing their experiences and differing agency perspectives of how best to apply what they have learned.

Concepts introduced in this workshop are:

• What is Critical Thinking and how can I leverage the key concepts to improve the quality of my work?
• What are the Six Steps to Producing a Quality Product?
• Why are mindsets so easy to form? Why are they so hard to overcome? What are the best ways to overcome their power?
• Critical thinking usually involves what core analytic techniques?
• Why is the Analysis of Competing Hypotheses such a powerful tool?
• What other basic tools (Key Assumptions Check, Indicators, Brainstorming, Red Cell Analysis) should be integrated into my personal toolkit?
• What constitutes effective writing? Why is a good thinker a good writer? How can I integrate these tools and techniques into my regular work routine?

Agenda:

Day 1
Goals, Objectives, and Introductions
What's the Point? Purpose and Question
Where's the Beef? Collecting and Organizing Information
Arraying and Tracking the Data
Constructing Arguments: Can I Make My Case?
Exercise on Constructing Arguments (breaks within)
Developing Hypotheses.
Exercise: Generating Multiple Hypotheses

Day 2
Hidden Assumptions Icebreaker Exercise
Analytic Traps and Mindsets
Core Analytic Techniques
Introduction to the Analysis of Competing Hypotheses (ACH)
ACH Exercise
Applying ACH in Your Daily Work

Day 3
Small Group Process and Cognitive Traps
Indicators
Indicators Validator Exercise
Good Writing is Good Thinking
Knowing Your Client/Customer
Matching the Technique to the Task/Timeline for Using the Tools
Making Use of the Tools in Your Office
Wrap-Up: Key Insights Gleaned

If you're interested in future runnings of a course,
please send an email to courseregistration@pherson.org
to request information or call 703-390-9903.