When it comes to it, you are bound to assume that terms such as ”Critical thinking” and ”Problem-solving” means the same and are often used interchangeably.
You would be way off the mark. So when it comes to the question of Critical thinking Vs. Problem-solving, it’s time to take a closer look at the two to understand the differences between both better.
But how better to define “Critical thinking Vs. Problem-solving?” – you need to understand that both are essential and critical skills, as far as the workplace is concerned!
- Critical thinking:
Critical thinking is very similar to problem-solving to the extent that it is problem-centric. It is often utilized in a workspace to resolve problems and issues, focusing on resolving them at the earliest. You would naturally use your reasoning skills when it comes to critical thinking.
And in the process, you are bound to learn more about yourself, your abilities, skills, and strengths. When you take critical thinking apart, you will find that it comprises five steps. For example, let’s say you would like to improve your thinking process.
· Identify:
When it comes to using your critical thinking skills to improve your thought process, you first need to identify the factors you assume would help you achieve your objective. For starters, it could be something simple as how you structure an argument or evaluate your sources. Now, work out how to improve these and what factors you need to focus on. That should do it.
· Investigate:
When it comes to utilizing critical thinking, one of the steps includes you investigating the problem. And that means that you would be required to collate research on the problem. A good idea would be to collate all the recent material from various sources, as they would be the latest. This should give you a good idea of what you are currently dealing with.
· Analyze:
Once you have the results, you need to analyze them. Just check them out to find out how credible and accurate they are and whether you can use them.
· Reflect:
Once you have wrapped up analyzing, you can move on to the next stage of critical thinking. And that’s to reflect and take the required mode of action. You must consider your choices and select the proper action to resolve the problem.
· The final call:
Once you have reflected, you should choose a course of action. Once you have determined the action, you cannot appear to go back on it or even appear frivolous with your various choices. Once it’s set, you need to follow through.
- Problem-solving:
When it comes to problem-solving, you will realize that it is more or less a set of techniques utilized to resolve specific problems. And that that’s why it is always a popular course of action at the office when it comes to resolving problems. It comprises four steps you need to check out, which are all listed below.
· Define the problem:
The first thing you need to do is to define the problem. By identifying the problem, you could define its parameters, and you may even have come across something familiar in the past. Regarding the problem, you should gather all information regarding the issue, even information on all those affected. This should help you resolve it soon.
· Generate ideas:
This is why defining the problem is a crucial step in problem-solving. Once you have defined it, you can generate various solutions. Please make a list of how you plan to resolve it and list all the pros and cons. This should enable you to make the right choice.
· Test it:
One of the basic problem-solving steps lies in your ability to test your solution. It is always a good idea to test your solution and see if it works. Usually, it should work like a charm, but it also depends on the problem. Hence you opted to test it.
· Take action:
Once you have determined the right solution, you can implement it. Make sure you follow the steps as directed so you can implement the right solution with nary a mix-up.
This is what Critical thinking Vs. Problem-solving is all about. As you can see, both the critical skills that are in need, at the office!
