Critical thinking is Crititcal but lacking in many people. The intellectually disciplined process of Actively and skillfully Conceptualizing Applying Analyzing Synthesizing And / or Evaluating information gathered or generated: Observation Experience Reflection Reasoning or Communication as a guide to Belief and Action

1. Display Critical Thinking and
Analytical Skills
Jack Ng
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2. Jack Ng
jackngsc@gmail.com.sg
About Me
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facebook.com/24GoldenHours

3. About Me

4. “in making decisions, you may be at the mercy of your mind’s
strange workings….”
Hammond, Keeney & Raiffa, The Hidden Traps in Decision Making, Harvard Business
Review, Jan 2008
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Introduction

5. “He hopes that Singaporeans will continue to seek out an
education that nurtures them to think critically and
innovatively to meet the diverse and complex challenges
ahead.” 4 June 2013
Former Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew
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6. What is Critical Thinking?
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8. ?
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Flip the coin 9 times: Head, Tail, Head, Tail, Tail, Tail, Tail,
Tail, Tail, what is Next?? Tail?

9. 50% 50%
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10. Apply proven critical thinking processes and
supercharge your business
The Gambler’s Fallacy
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11. The Gambler’s Fallacy
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12. Critical Thinking: formal definition
“ the intellectually disciplined process of actively and
skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing,
and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated
by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or
communication, as a guide to belief and action.”
Critical Thinking as Defined by the National Council for Excellence in Critical Thinking, 1987
A statement by Michael Scriven & Richard Paul at the 8th Annual International Conference on Critical Thinking and Education Reform,
Summer 1987}. http://www.criticalthinking.org/page.cfm?PageID=766&CategoryID=51 Last accessed May 31, 2009
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13. Critical Thinking: formal definition
The intellectually disciplined process of
Actively and skillfully
Conceptualizing
Applying
Analyzing
Synthesizing
And / or
Evaluating information gathered or generated:
Observation
Experience
Reflection
Reasoning or
Communication
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as a guide to Belief and
Action

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Do we Think Critically?
What is value?
Apple Ipad
with Retina
Display 32GB
(Wifi + 4G)
S$1,028

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Do we Think Critically?
What is value?

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Do we Think Critically?

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Do we Think Critically?
Some 10 Singaporeans have fallen victim to the 'Johor Bahru Lucky Draw' scam
since April 2013.

18. Omega Planet Ocean co-axial large 46mm
automatic chronograph mens watch 19
Do we Think Critically?

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Should I take up the offer?

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CT Process: THE OBSERVATION
Observations.From a series of observations, we establish:
Facts.From a series of facts, or from an absence of fact, we make:
Inferences. Testing the validity of our inferences, we make:
Assumptions.From our assumptions, we form our:
Opinions.Taking our opinions, we use the principles of logic to develop:
Arguments. And when we want to challenge the arguments of others, we employ:
Critical Analysis
through which we challenge the observations, facts, inferences, and so on, in the
arguments that we are analyzing

22. Exercise 1
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• You have 10 sec to remember 10 words

23. Exercise 1
• Monorail
• Bicycle
• Trilogy
• April
• Pentagon
• Six sigma
• Windows 7
• August
• Nonagon
• Decade
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CT Process: THE OBSERVATION
Write down the names of three people who seem to accomplish
a lot with their lives, who are successful leaders, and yet who
never seem to be overwhelmed in handling multiple
responsibilities, or in facing new problems or challenges that
come up.
By leaders, I don't necessarily mean CEOs of multimillion-dollar
companies. I mean people to whom others look for guidance
and reassurance, steady anchors in a storm. These people may be
from your work, your family, your church, or even someone
you've observed at a favourite restaurant or somewhere else.

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CT Process: THE OBSERVATION
Now take it a step further. Observe how these people address
the onslaught of concerns that come their way. Write down your
answers to these questions:
How do these individuals maintain their composure in a
crisis?
� How do these individuals initially respond to any concern
presented?
� Were these individuals rational in their approach, or did they
just react emotionally?

26. Case Study
• A public hospital has put up a public RFP (Request for Proposal) for
“Medical Devices Middleware Integration System (MDMIS)”. The
estimated value of the proposal would be about S$2.3 millions.
• mHS, a local IT company has been waiting for this RPF. It has secured the
representation rights with the number 1 MDMIS solution provider, iSirona,
from USA. mHS is confident that their proposal would be able to meet all
aspect of the RFP requirements, including pricing.
• However, there was one particular requirement that mHS is very concern.
It is stated in the RFP “The Participating Vendor shall enclose a valid copy
of the relevant CIDB registration certificate together with his RFP
submission (if applicable)”. CIDB is a BCA (Building Control Authority)
Contractors Registry. It also states the value a registered contractor is
allowed to bid for a public project.
• mHS is a young start up. While it has registered with BCA, however, it is
only approved for “L1” grade. i.e. up to project value of $699,000.
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27. Case Study cont’
• The public hospital has conducted the RFP briefing and 7 potential
suppliers have attended the briefing. Note that only those companies
which have attended the briefing are allowed to submit the proposal.
• This means that mHS is not able to get a partner which has a higher CIDB
registration certificate to put up a joint proposal.
• Of the 7 which has attended the briefing, one of them is Orange
services, a subsidiary of a MNC, Orange. Orange has no real capabilities in
providing MDMIS solution. In fact, Orange Services has recently contacted
iSirona for MDMIS Solutions.
• As the MD of mHS, what would you do in order to participate in the RFP?
Or give up on this RFP. Note that the only and largest potential project that
can help mHS to secure new capital funding else the company may run out
of operations cash. Remember to think out of the box.
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