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Analytical Thinking, Problem Solving and Decision Making

Get powerful problem-solving skills to more successfully reason through business problems

Today, it's everyone’s job to effectively solve problems. Analytical thinking and problem solving are foundational thinking skills that involve breaking things down into their component parts. They also involve deductive reasoning, drawing conclusions from givens and applying judgments to reach conclusions from a combination of evidence and assumptions. This seminar introduces you to fundamental thinking processes so that you can successfully analyze and solve a wide variety of business problems. Get these essential analytical thinking and problem-solving skills now to give yourself a powerful competitive and career advantage!

Seminar Number: 02558

4.6
(91 reviews)
  • In-Person
  • Live Online
  • At Your Company Location

Course Scheduling & Pricing

Home>Course Topic>Analytical Skills>Analytical Thinking, Problem Solving and Decision Making

Who Should Attend

Any individual who wants to be better equipped to face and solve today’s complex business problems by using a foundational process for reasoning and problem solving.

  •   In-Person2 Day(s)
    1.2 CEU, 12 CLP, 12 PDCs, 12 PHR, 12 PMU, 12 SPHR
  •   Live Online2 Day(s)
    1.2 CEU, 12 CLP, 12 PDCs, 12 PHR, 12 PMU, 12 SPHR
 
 

Today, it's everyone’s job to effectively solve problems. Analytical thinking and problem solving are foundational thinking skills that involve breaking things down into their component parts. They also involve deductive reasoning, drawing conclusions from givens and applying judgments to reach conclusions from a combination of evidence and assumptions.

This seminar introduces you to fundamental thinking processes so that you can successfully analyze and solve a wide variety of business problems. Get these essential analytical thinking and problem-solving skills now to give yourself a powerful competitive and career advantage!

  • Develop more clarity around possible solutions
  • Avoid emotional triggers that can impede your best thinking
  • Generate and test solutions to atypical problems
  • Interpret probability to increase confidence in your decision
  • Negotiate among variables and conditions
  • Recognize the difference between rationality of purpose and rationality of process
  • Assessing patterns, recognizing probabilities and increasing your ability to think hypothetically
  • Ensuring the likelihood that your conclusion is the right one
  • Distinguishing between problem solving and decision making
  • Understanding how uncertainty and risk impact the way you make decisions
  • Reducing conflict and groupthink
  • Applying tools and techniques for sharpening analytical and intuitive aspects of decision making
  • Applying personal experience to complex decision making under conditions of uncertainty

Learning Objectives

  • Use the A.R.T. and A.I.D. Skill Bundles to Analyze and Make Better Decisions
  • Refine Your Ability to Assess Patterns, Recognize Probabilities, and Think Hypothetically
  • Use Counterfactual Thinking to Increase the Likelihood That Your Conclusion Is the Right One
  • Distinguish Between Problem Solving and Decision Making, in Order to Identify “True” Decisions
  • Recognize How Your Feelings About Uncertainty and Risk Impact the Way You Make Decisions
  • Identify Personal Characteristics That Inform Your Perception of What Makes a Decision “Right,” to Reduce Conflict and Groupthink
  • Apply Tools and Techniques for Sharpening Analytical and Intuitive Aspects of Decision Making
  • More Deliberately Apply Personal Experience to Complex Decision Making Under Conditions of Uncertainty

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Download Extended Seminar Outline PDF

View a Sample of Our Reviews

4.6

91 reviews

 
The place was very clean and friendly. The instructor was well informed and work very asspect of the session well. I enjoyed the class.
5
TYRONE W.
 
DIRECTOR OF EXHIBITOR SOLUTIONS
 
Industry: Hospitality
The class was excellent and the instructor was quite knowledgeable and experienced. The material learned will help me not only in my working life but also with my private life.
5
Jose E.
 
Manager Internal Auditor
 
Industry: Holding Companies & Conglomerates
Great information on decision making and analytical thinking in tough situations.
5
Margaret W.
 
SENIOR CLAIMS EXAMINER
 
Industry: Insurance
I felt the class really tested my abilities to focus, listen and learn the content. I walked away with skills that I could take back to my job and use. It's hard to make subject material applicable to all work types; however, I was able to put some of it into context for my job.
4
ThuHa (. A.
 
Whistleblower Investigator
 
Industry: Government
Training was helpful and well structured. Loved the instructor! Content covered a wide range of practical tools.
4
Catherine K.
 
Project Manager
 
Industry: Motor Vehicle Manufacturing

This course is valid for 12 PMUs.
2 Relationship Management [RM]
10 Analytical Intelligence [AI]

This course qualifies for 12 CPUs toward your recertification as a CAP (Certified Analytics Professionals).

The use of this seal confirms that this activity has met HR Certification Institute's (HRCI) criteria for recertification credit pre-approval.

 

American Management Association is accredited by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) and is accredited to issue the IACET CEU.

AMA is recognized by SHRM to offer Professional Development Credits (PDCs) for the SHRM-CPSM or SHRM-SCPSM.

In-Person Schedule

2 Sessions Available

Live Online Schedule

3 Sessions Available

  • $2,745.00 Non Members
  • $2,495.00 AMA Members
  • $2,434.00 GSA
Date Duration State City Zip
  2026-02-09 2026-02-10 Feb 9, 2026 - Feb 10, 2026 2 Days IL Chicago 60601-5927 Chicago Register Now

  2026-06-15 2026-06-16 Jun 15, 2026 - Jun 16, 2026 2 Days NY New York 10019 New York Register Now

The place was very clean and friendly. The instructor was well informed and work very asspect of the session well. I enjoyed the class.
5
TYRONE W.
 
DIRECTOR OF EXHIBITOR SOLUTIONS
 
Industry: Hospitality
The class was excellent and the instructor was quite knowledgeable and experienced. The material learned will help me not only in my working life but also with my private life.
5
Jose E.
 
Manager Internal Auditor
 
Industry: Holding Companies & Conglomerates
Great information on decision making and analytical thinking in tough situations.
5
Margaret W.
 
SENIOR CLAIMS EXAMINER
 
Industry: Insurance
I felt the class really tested my abilities to focus, listen and learn the content. I walked away with skills that I could take back to my job and use. It's hard to make subject material applicable to all work types; however, I was able to put some of it into context for my job.
4
ThuHa (. A.
 
Whistleblower Investigator
 
Industry: Government
Training was helpful and well structured. Loved the instructor! Content covered a wide range of practical tools.
4
Catherine K.
 
Project Manager
 
Industry: Motor Vehicle Manufacturing
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