Critical and Design Thinking.

Critical Thinking

People can possess wonderful soft skills. Often, we mistakenly "nurture" those that may not be so wonderful. Critical thinking, as a soft skill, is one of the more excellent human abilities. It is increasingly valued (or at least, it should be) in both business and private life. A lack of it can significantly slow us down, if not set us back. In extreme cases, it could even cost lives. From a business perspective, employees with developed critical thinking skills can solve complex problems, make informed decisions, and, crucially today, adapt to increasingly changing circumstances. After all, we've all decided to operate and behave agilely.

The critical thinking process itself involves several steps:

• identifying the problem,
• gathering information and data related to a specific problem or situation,
• evaluating the accuracy, relevance, and reliability of information, and
• analyzing that same information,

• consequently, we should know/have/generate possible solutions or have arguments for or against, and finally,
• view everything from different perspectives and be aware of our biases.

The complete process will conclude with:

• making a (well-reasoned) decision or conclusion based on the analysis, and
• evaluating the effectiveness of the decision itself.

Ultimately, everyone should be open enough to revise everything if necessary.

Critical thinking demands openness, skepticism, and a commitment to making decisions based, above all, on evidence. Throughout this "story," it's crucial to remain impartial and consider all relevant information before reaching a conclusion.

Why is it difficult to remain impartial or rational?

In life generally, it's hard to remain impartial and rational, especially since humans tend to be irrational. The inclination towards irrationality in people is a complex phenomenon influenced by numerous factors, including cognitive biases, emotions, and so-called "motivated reasoning." It's not limited to a specific part of the brain but results from the interaction between different brain regions and processes.

For example, the amygdala, a key part of the "emotional brain," can influence our decisions and behavior by generating feelings of fear or pleasure in response to certain stimuli. When we experience strong emotions, they can overpower our rational thought processes and lead us to act irrationally. The prefrontal cortex, responsible for "executive functions" like decision-making and emotion regulation, can also play a role in irrationality. Research has shown that damage to the prefrontal cortex can lead to impulsive and irrational behavior.

Biases and heuristics that contribute to irrational thinking are also influenced by how our brain processes information, such as using cognitive shortcuts or relying on past experiences and expectations. Additionally, motivated reasoning, or the tendency to reach a preconceived conclusion, can also contribute to irrational thinking.

Motivated Reasoning

One wonderful human skill is, because after all, we are just humans :-), motivated reasoning. Motivated reasoning is a type of cognitive bias that refers to the tendency of individuals to reach conclusions driven by their emotional or personal interests rather than objective evidence. In other words, in situations where we recognize "our problem" and rely on that, we have a good chance of judging very motivationally. :)

For instance, if someone holds strong convictions about health, politics, or ideology, they may be motivated to ignore or dismiss evidence that contradicts their viewpoint. They will also very often selectively seek out and/or interpret evidence in a way that supports those very beliefs. This process of motivated reasoning can lead individuals to reach conclusions not based on objective evidence and can result in irrational or flawed thinking.

Motivated reasoning can also manifest in other contexts, such as in the workplace, where individuals might be motivated, for example, to protect their reputation, status, or financial interests. In these situations, motivated reasoning can lead to a distorted or biased perception of events and can affect decision-making and problem-solving abilities. It is important to be aware of motivated reasoning and its potential to influence our thinking and decision-making processes. By recognizing when we are engaging in motivated reasoning, we can work to overcome it and strive for a more objective and rational understanding of the world.

In all of this, our brain is structured in such a way that it can easily mislead us :-). So, in addition to the brain parts described above that perhaps help us be irrational beings, in motivated reasoning, the ventral striatum, which is involved in reward processing, will happily get involved and provide us with "positive feedback" specifically for those beliefs that align with our goals and values.

What other biases cause problems for critical thinking?

Cognitive biases, or simply biases, are another "problem" our brain creates. Cognitive shortcuts are, simply put, systemic errors in our brain.

Biases can be a significant obstacle to effective critical thinking. Some common biases that can affect the critical thinking process include:

• Confirmation bias: The tendency to seek information that supports existing beliefs and ignore information that contradicts them.

• Anchoring bias: The tendency to rely too heavily on the first piece of information encountered when making a decision.
• Hindsight bias: The tendency to believe, after an event has occurred, that one would have predicted or expected it to happen.
• Availability bias: The tendency to rely on readily available information, rather than seeking the best information, when making a decision.
• Overconfidence bias: The tendency to overestimate one's own abilities or the accuracy of one's own beliefs and predictions.
• Halo effect: The tendency for one positive trait to influence our overall impression of a person or situation.
• Stereotypes: The tendency to make assumptions about a person or group based on past experiences or beliefs.

What's important to say is that we must learn to be aware of these biases and work to counteract them to make fair and accurate assessments. This can involve seeking diverse or changing existing perspectives, double-checking assumptions, and constantly questioning our own beliefs and decision-making processes.

How does digitalization affect the development of critical thinking, or where would you hide the person you killed? On the second page of Google search results.

Digitalization has both positive and negative effects on the development of critical thinking skills. On the one hand, increased access to information and the ability to connect with others from around the world has the potential to broaden perspectives and enhance critical thinking. On the other hand, the abundance of information available online can lead to information overload, making it difficult to separate accurate and reliable information from misinformation and bias.

The increased use of social media and other digital platforms can also contribute to the spread of misinformation and reinforce existing biases. Specifically, algorithms used by search engines and social media can strengthen our "filters" for accurate information by presenting us with information consistent with our existing beliefs and opinions, instead of presenting diverse perspectives.

Which brain parts are involved in developing critical thinking?

Critical thinking involves multiple brain regions and is a complex, multidisciplinary process. Here are some of the key brain regions involved in critical thinking:

• Prefrontal cortex: This part of the brain is responsible for decision-making, problem-solving, and attention control.
• Anterior cingulate cortex: This area is involved in error detection, generating alternatives, and conflict resolution.
• Hippocampus: This area is important for forming and retrieving memories, which is crucial in evaluating information and making decisions.
• Basal ganglia: This area is involved in evaluating new information and is important in decision-making and selecting actions.
• Amygdala: This part of the brain is involved in emotion processing and can influence decision-making due to emotional involvement, of course.
• Parietal lobe: This area is involved in spatial orientation and attention, which can be important in evaluating information and making decisions.

It's important to note that critical thinking is not limited to one part of the brain; it involves the coordination and integration of multiple brain regions and functions. Additionally, the development of critical thinking skills can be positively influenced by a stimulating environment.

Why do people lack critical thinking today?

There is research suggesting that critical thinking skills are in decline. The causes can be sought on several fronts:

• Education: We often encounter the claim that the education system does not sufficiently emphasize the development of critical thinking skills but instead focuses on memorizing information and more or less standardized knowledge checks that don't require out-of-the-box thinking. (Except for those who decided not to study, so they are always inspired to cheat. :))
• Technology: The increased use of technology and social media has led to shorter attention spans, reduced ability to focus, and reliance on instant gratification, all of which can hinder the development of critical thinking. Just remember how we scroll and swipe on our phones. :)

• Misinformation: The proliferation of misinformation and fake news online can make it difficult to distinguish accurate from inaccurate information and can erode our critical thinking skills.
• Groupthink: Just as "crowd psychology" plays out at, for example, a football match, "groupthink psychology" plays its part in critical thinking. We can easily tend to conform to group opinions and avoid opposing views (so as not to rock the boat :)).
• Confirmation bias: The tendency to seek information that confirms our opinions or attitudes is a convenient discipline through which we confirm existing beliefs and are able to ignore information that contradicts us.

The fact that critical thinking skills, like all human skills, can be learned, tells us that it's not all so bleak.

Another Valuable Human Skill

Design thinking is another valuable human skill that has become increasingly sought after in recent years. As the world around us becomes more complex, and organizations strive to remain competitive and innovative, the ability to think creatively, understand user needs, and develop solutions that meet those needs has become a key advantage.

The demand for Design Thinking is expected to continue growing in the future, driven by a number of factors including:

• the increasing complexity of problems and the need for an interdisciplinary approach to solving them,
• the growing importance of user-centered Design Thinking and the need for companies to understand and meet the needs of their customers.

Design thinking is, bottom line, a human-centered approach to innovation that involves empathy, experimentation, and prototyping. By itself, it is a creative process that seeks to understand user needs and develop solutions that meet those needs in a sustainable and, ultimately, scalable or expandable way. Design thinking typically involves five phases:

• understanding users and their needs through observation and research,
• clearly articulating the problem and creating a shared understanding of the challenge,
• generating a wide range of ideas and potential solutions through brainstorming and collaboration,
• creating physical or digital demos of solutions for testing and iteration,

• testing and evaluating solutions with users and iterating on solutions until a final product is developed.

Design thinking requires collaboration, experimentation, and iteration. We can define it as a flexible and iterative process that encourages individuals to embrace failure as a learning opportunity and to continue refining solutions until they meet user needs.

What is the correlation between critical thinking and Design Thinking?

Critical thinking and Design Thinking are complementary skills aimed at solving complex problems in a structured and effective manner.

Critical thinking is a cognitive process that involves analyzing information, evaluating arguments, and making informed decisions based on evidence and reasoning. It is a key aspect of problem-solving, as it allows individuals to analyze and understand a problem, identify potential solutions, and make rational decisions based on available information.

Design thinking, on the other hand, is a human-centered approach to innovation that involves empathy, experimentation, and prototyping. It is a creative process that involves understanding user needs, prototyping solutions, and iterating on those solutions until a final product is developed.

Both critical thinking and Design Thinking require an open and flexible approach to problem-solving, as well as the ability to think creatively and iterate on ideas. When combined, critical thinking provides a structured and rational approach to evaluating "design solutions," while Design Thinking provides a creative and empathetic approach to creating and refining solutions. The correlation between critical thinking and Design Thinking lies in their shared goal of creating effective solutions for complex problems through a structured and creative process.

We can also "lean" on brain parts and their functioning methods for these theses. Namely, the same brain regions are involved in both critical thinking and Design Thinking, although the specific processes and functions involved may differ. Critical thinking is a cognitive process that involves evaluating information, arguments, and evidence in a systematic and logical manner to arrive at well-reasoned conclusions. The prefrontal cortex, which, as we have already said, is involved in decision-making, reasoning, and problem-solving, plays a key role in critical thinking. On the other hand, Design Thinking is an approach to problem-solving that emphasizes empathy, creativity, and experimentation. In Design Thinking, the ventral striatum, involved in reward processing and motivation, provides positive "energy" for creative and innovative ideas. Finally, although some of the same brain regions involved in critical thinking, such as the prefrontal cortex, may also be involved in Design Thinking, the specific processes and functions involved may differ. Critical thinking emphasizes logical and systematic evaluation of information, while Design Thinking emphasizes empathy, creativity, and experimentation. And when we look at the "whole story" this way, isn't it nice to have integrated skills like critical thinking and emotional intelligence (Design Thinking)?

Humans are experiential and environmental beings.

Our experience and environment shape some of our soft skills. The main question is how we can "compensate" for deficient experience without waiting ten years to "acquire" it naturally.

The answer is simple: let's go back to childhood when we most easily "collected" our human, or to simplify, social skills and "design thinking." We probably all remember playing dodgeball, how we "fought" both on and off the field, but not how we learned to add or multiply :)

And now the question arises: can Lego® Serious Play® help develop critical thinking? Yes, it can. We uncovered Lego Serious Play in the article: https://deepproject.hr/sve-sto-ste-htjeli-znati-o-lego-serious-play-metodi-a-niste-se-usudili-pitati/ so now we will just give an example of how Lego Serious Play can be used to support the development of critical thinking skills:

• Problem definition: The company is struggling with low employee engagement and is looking for new ways to increase motivation and satisfaction.
• Lego model building: Participants are given a set of Lego® bricks and asked to build a model representing their current understanding of the low employee engagement problem. They are encouraged to be creative and express their ideas in a tangible way.

• Sharing and discussion: Participants are asked to share their models and explain the thinking behind their design. They are also encouraged to ask questions, build on each other's ideas, and challenge assumptions.
• Reflection and analysis: Participants are asked to reflect on their models and consider how they could be improved or modified to better address the problem of low employee engagement. They are encouraged to think critically and consider alternative perspectives.
• Solution building: Participants are asked to build a collaborative model that represents the entirety of all insights, stances, ideas, and opinions. In the collaborative model, unimportant parts of each person's model are removed so that only the absolute core and most important parts remain. They are encouraged to be creative, think outside the box, and consider the potential impact of their solutions.
• Final discussion: Participants are asked to share their solution models and discuss their strengths and weaknesses. They are also encouraged to consider the feasibility and potential impact of the solutions, and to think critically about possible outcomes.

This process can be repeated multiple times, with participants building on their previous models and refining their solutions. Using Lego bricks as a tool for communication and creativity can help improve collaboration, encourage divergent thinking, and support the development of critical thinking skills.

Lego® Serious Play® and Design Thinking

As we have said/written several times already, Lego® Serious Play® is an assisted method for promoting creativity, innovation, and problem-solving using Lego bricks. It combines the principles of Design Thinking, such as empathy, experimentation, and prototyping, with the hands-on experience of building Lego® models. Participants use Lego® bricks to build physical models and structures that represent their ideas, thoughts, and solutions to a specific challenge or problem. This process helps participants express their thoughts, emotions, and perspectives, and allows them to explore and test new ideas and solutions in a safe, playful, and non-judgmental environment. The combination of Lego® models and Design Thinking leads to new perspectives, creative solutions, and stronger cooperation among participants and employees.