A.

INTRODUCTION
I am working in the information technology field. I need to be equipped with full knowledge
when entering my career at work. But that’s certainly not enough, after working for a while I
find myself facing challenges far more complex than those I learned in class. I need to know
how to explain to my colleagues to understand my thoughts, build teamwork among team
members as well as develop communication skills and effective conflict resolution will
essential. Newcomers like me should learn and practice every day.

In this assignment, I was able to communicate and behave, make many presentations, reports
and surveys. My projects can be lead events, or internal activities to improve team spirit and
cohesion among members.

Finally, I have prepared survey documents to determine what I have achieved in this activity

B. CONTENTS
LO1 Demonstrate a range of interpersonal and transferable communication skills to a
target audience

P1. Demonstrate, using different communication styles and formats, that you can
effectively design and deliver a training event for a given target audience.

I. What is Communication?

Communication is simply the act of transferring information from one place, person or group
to another. Every communication involves (at least) one sender, a message and a recipient.
This may sound simple, but communication is actually a very complex subject.

The transmission of the message from sender to recipient can be affected by a huge range of
things. These include our emotions, the cultural situation, the medium used to communicate,
and even our location. The complexity is why good communication skills are considered so
desirable by employers around the world: accurate, effective and unambiguous
communication is actually extremely hard.

II. Defining Communication

A communication therefore has three parts: the sender, the message, and the recipient.
The sender ‘encodes’ the message, usually in a mixture of words and non-verbal
communication. It is transmitted in some way (for example, in speech or writing), and the
recipient ‘decodes’ it.

Of course, there may be more than one recipient, and the complexity of communication
means that each one may receive a slightly different message. Two people may read very
different things into the choice of words and/or body language. It is also possible that neither
of them will have quite the same understanding as the sender.

In face-to-face communication, the roles of the sender and recipient are not distinct. The two
roles will pass back and forwards between two people talking. Both parties communicate
with each other, even if in very subtle ways such as through eye-contact (or lack of) and
general body language. In written communication, however, the sender and recipient are
more distinct

III. Categories of Communication

There are a wide range of ways in which we communicate and more than one may be
occurring at any given time.

The different categories of communication include:

 Spoken or Verbal Communication, which includes face-to-face, telephone, radio or

television and other media.
 Non-Verbal Communication, covering body language, gestures, how we dress or act,
where we stand, and even our scent. There are many subtle ways that we
communicate (perhaps even unintentionally) with others. For example, the tone of
voice can give clues to mood or emotional state, whilst hand signals or gestures can
add to a spoken message.
 Written Communication: which includes letters, e-mails, social media, books,
magazines, the Internet and other media. Until recent times, a relatively small number
of writers and publishers were very powerful when it came to communicating the
written word. Today, we can all write and publish our ideas online, which has led to
an explosion of information and communication possibilities.
 Visualizations: graphs and charts, maps, logos and other visualizations can all
communicate messages.
A message or communication is sent by the sender through a communication channel to one
or more recipients.

Misunderstanding can occur at any stage of the communication process.

An effective communicator understands their audience

IV. Verbal Communication Skills

Verbal communication is any communication that uses words to share information with
others. These words may be both spoken and written.

1) Opening Communication
 In many interpersonal encounters, the first few minutes are extremely important. First
impressions have a significant impact on the success of further and future
communication.
 This first impression guides your future communications, at least to some extent.

2) Basic Verbal Communication Skills: Effective Speaking and Listening

Effective speaking involves three main areas: the words you choose, how you say them, and
how you reinforce them with other non-verbal communication.

Active listening is an important skill. However, when we communicate, we tend to spend far
more energy considering what we are going to say than listening to the other person.

 Be prepared to listen. Concentrate on the speaker, and not on how you are going to
reply.
 Keep an open mind and avoid making judgements about the speaker.
 Concentrate on the main direction of the speaker’s message. Try to understand
broadly what they are trying to say overall, as well as the detail of the words that they
are using.
 Avoid distractions if at all possible. For example, if there is a lot of background
noise, you might suggest that you go somewhere else to talk.
 Be objective.
 Do not be trying to think of your next question while the other person is giving
information.
  Do not dwell on one or two points at the expense of others. Try to use the overall
picture and all the information that you have.
 Do not stereotype the speaker. Try not to let prejudices associated with, for
example, gender, ethnicity, accent, social class, appearance or dress interfere with
what is being said (see Personal Appearance).

3) Improving Verbal Communication: More Advanced Techniques

There are a number of tools and techniques that you can use to improve the effectiveness of
your verbal communication. These include reinforcement, reflection, clarification, and
questioning.

Reinforcement

Reinforcement is the use of encouraging words alongside non-verbal gestures such as head
nods, a warm facial expression and maintaining eye contact.

All these help to build rapport and are more likely to reinforce openness in others. The use of
encouragement and positive reinforcement can:

 Encourage others to participate in discussion (particularly in group work);

 Show interest in what other people have to say;
 Pave the way for development and/or maintenance of a relationship;
 Allay fears and give reassurance;
 Show warmth and openness; and
 Reduce shyness or nervousness in ourselves and others.

Questioning

Questioning is broadly how we obtain information from others on specific topics.

We use two main types of question:

 Closed Questions
 Open Questions

Reflecting and Clarifying

Reflecting is the process of feeding back to another person your understanding of what has
been said.
You can check that you have understood the message clearly.

The speaker gets feedback about how the message has been received and can then clarify or
expand if they wish.

It shows interest in, and respect for, what the other person has to say.

You are demonstrating that you are considering the other person’s viewpoint.

Verbal communication is an important element, but only part of the overall message
conveyed. Some  research suggests that the verbal element is, in fact, a very small part of the
overall message: just 20 to 30%. This is still, however, significant, and it is worth spending
time to improve your verbal communication skills.

V. Non-Verbal Communication
1) Using Non-Verbal Communication
Non-verbal communication helps people to:

 Reinforce or modify what is said in words.

 Convey information about their emotional state.
 Define or reinforce the relationship between people.
 Provide feedback to the other person
 Regulate the flow of communication

2) Learning the Language
3) The Cultural Context
4) The Importance of Non-verbal Communication
5) Types of Non-Verbal Communication
There are many different types of non-verbal communication.

They include:

 Body movements (kinesics), for example, hand gestures or nodding or shaking the

head, which are often the easiest element of non-verbal communication to control;
 Posture, or how you stand or sit, whether your arms are crossed, and so on;
 Eye contact, where the amount of eye contact often determines the level of trust and
trustworthiness;
  Para-language, or aspects of the voice apart from speech, such as pitch, tone, and
speed of speaking;
 Closeness or personal space (proxemics), which determines the level of intimacy, and
which varies very much by culture;
 Facial expressions, including smiling, frowning and blinking, which are very hard to
control consciously. Interestingly, the broad facial expressions that show strong
emotions, such as fear, anger, and happiness, are the same throughout the world; and
 Physiological changes, for example, you may sweat or blink more when you are
nervous, and your heart rate is also likely to increase. These are almost impossible to
control consciously and are therefore a very important indicator of mental state.

P2. DEMONSTRATE THAT YOU HAVE USED EFFECTIVE TIME

MANAGEMENT SKILLS IN PLANNING AN EVENT.

I. Definition and the importance of time management skills:

1) Definition:
Time management skills is a concept to display how to control your time in one day, one
week, one year,… examples like that to divide time to smaller parts to do effectively and
smart. Managing your time well can help you improve in your career. Organizing each day
helps you to complete work on time, stay engaged during important meetings and give you
space to be creative and proactive in your tasks. Having strong time-management skills can
ultimately lead to accomplishing key goals and advancing in your position

2) Importance of time management skills:

Time management skills include a variety of skills that will help you manage your time well.
Some of the most important time management skills include:

 Organization. Staying organized can help you maintain a clear picture of what you
need to complete and when. Being well-organized might mean maintaining an up-to-
date calendar, being able to locate certain documents easily, having a tidy
environment and taking detailed, diligent notes.
 Prioritization. Assessing each of your responsibilities for priority is key in being a
good time manager. There are many ways to prioritize what you need to accomplish.
You might decide to complete fast, simple items followed by longer, more involved
 ones. Alternatively, you might prioritize your tasks starting with the most time-
sensitive, or a combination of both.
 Goal-setting. Setting goals is the first step to becoming a good time manager. Goal-
setting allows you to clearly understand your end goal and what exactly you need to
prioritize to accomplish it. Setting both short and long-term goals can lead to success
in your career.
 Communication. Developing strong communication skills can allow you to make
your plans and goals clear to people you work with. It also allows you to delegate,
which lets you focus on completing the most important, relevant tasks that align with
your goals.
 Planning. A fundamental part of time management is planning. Being efficient in
planning out your day, meetings and how you will accomplish things will help you
stick to your schedule.
 Delegation. Being a good time manager means only completing work that will help
you and your company accomplish goals. While this skill is most often done by
managers, you can also practice delegating tasks if you are managing a project. While
it can often be difficult to say “no” when someone asks you to do something at work,
it is important to practice having boundaries to manage your time well and ultimately
accomplish your goals.

With time management skills above, maybe you understood that to start a work, manage your
time is very important, especially nowadays. Because they help you structure your work in a
way that allows you to accomplish goals. For example, if your goal is to get a job, you need
time to update your resume, search for openings, apply, research companies and prepare for
interviews. Setting aside specific amounts of time per day will help you complete the
necessary steps to getting a job.
II. Planning a training event
1. Goals of the training events:
 Create an exchange environment.
 More knowledge.
 Navigate future.
 Welcome new members
2. Participants: members of the company
3. Time duration: 2 days.
4. Places:
 TÍM HOUSE Lương Sơn, Hoà Bình.
Time (12/12/2020) Content
7AM-8AM gather at Company building, breakfast
8AM-8.30AM Check attendance
8.30AM-9AM Departure
9AM-11AM Minigame
11AM-11.30AM Check in
12PM-1PM Lunch
1PM-3PM Break
3PM-5PM Team building at detech
5PM-7PM Dinner
7PM-9PM Campfire
(13/12/2020) Content
11AM-11.30AM Lunch
5PM Go home

M1. Design a professional schedule to support the planning of an event, to include

contingencies and justifications of time allocated.

on September 12, 2020 we held an event to celebrate our 10th anniversary. Let's take a look
at key company milestones. Through the event, it will help honor individuals with good
achievements, pay tribute to customers, especially bring the members of the company
together.

Time (12/12/2020) Content

7AM-8AM gather at Company building, breakfast
 8AM-8.30AM Check attendance
8.30AM-9AM Departure
9AM-11AM Minigame
11AM-11.30AM Check in
12PM-1PM Lunch
1PM-3PM Break
3PM-5PM Team building at detech
5PM-7PM Dinner
7PM-9PM Campfire
(13/12/2020) Content
11AM-11.30AM Lunch
5PM Go home

D1. Evaluate the effectiveness and application of interpersonal skills during the design
and delivery of a training event.

I. What is the Definition of Interpersonal Effectiveness?

Interpersonal effectiveness, at its most basic, refers to the ability to interact with others. It
includes skills we use to:

1. Attend to relationships
2. Balance priorities versus demands
3. Balance the “wants” and the “shoulds”
4. Build a sense of mastery and self-respect (Vivyan, 2015)

Our ability to interact with others can be broken by the goal we have in mind for our
interactions. There are three main goals to interaction:

1. Gaining our objective

2. Maintaining our relationships
3. Keeping our self-respect
Each goal requires interpersonal skills; while some interpersonal skills will be applied in
many situations, some skills will be especially important for achieving one of these goals.

When we are working towards gaining our objective, we need skills that involve clarifying
what we want from the interaction, and identifying what we need to do in order to get the
results we want.

When maintaining our relationships is our first priority, we need to understand how

important the particular relationship is to us, how we want the person to feel about us, and
what we need to do in order to keep the relationship going.

Finally, when our goal is to keep our self-respect, we will use interpersonal skills to help us
feel the way we would like to feel after the interaction is over and to stick to our values and to
the truth (Vivyan, 2015).

II. The Importance of Developing Your Interpersonal Effectiveness Skills

By now, you have surely recognized the importance of having good, or at least adequate,
communication and interaction skills. However, you may be thinking that if you have the
skills to communicate with others at a minimum level of effectiveness, you’re set! Why
bother working on skills you already have?

Like any set of complex skills, there will never be a point at which you have completely
mastered them. Even the best motivational speakers and public relations experts are not
perfect communicators. There is always room for improvement!

Research has provided evidence that improving these interpersonal skills leads to positive
outcomes, especially for clients with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). For example,
DBT skill utilization has been shown to improve BPD symptoms overall, reduce affective
instability, and improve the client’s relationship capabilities (Stepp, Epler, Jahng, & Trull,
2008).

LO2. Apply critical reasoning and thinking to a range of problem-solving scenarios

P3. Demonstrate the use of different problem-solving techniques in the design and
delivery of an event.
I. Definition and the importance of problem solving:
1) Definition
The term problem solving has a different meaning depending on the particular discipline of
the study. For example it is a mental process in psychology and a computerization process in
computer science. There are two different types of ambiguous and well-defined problem
types different approaches are used for each problem type. Well-defined problems have
specific end goals and clear expected solutions while unspecified problems do not. Well-
defined problems allow more initial planning than unknown problems.1 Problem solving is
sometimes involves pragmatic problem-solving how context contributes to ideas. meaning
and semantics explain the problem. The ability to understand what the ultimate goal of the
problem is and what rules can be applied represents the key to solving the problem.

2) Importance:
Have you ever been in a state of panic anxiety when encountering an unexpected incident
right before an important company event How do you usually handle when your boss or
client is entrusted with impossible tasks Competition when there are conflicts in the group
when troubles arise that make me just want to 'collapse'? These are all situations that we will
all have to go through at least a few times in our office drinking life. And in those situations
we'll all need a very important skill - problem solving. For the majority of office workers,
problem solving skills are often not practiced regularly but only arise. In essence, problem
solving requires agility and proactive responses along with good analysis. The following
article outlines 4 reasons why 'problem solving' is such an important skill that you will be
asked by employers when looking for a job.

Help you stay calm and relieve stress

When an incident arises or when faced with unexpected situations stress and stress are one of
the factors that greatly affect decision making. our. If you have good problem solving skills,
you will stay calm and this is your big difference from those around you. Instead of panicking
or complaining frantically, those who know how to solve problems will always keep their
mind clear and they are the support for the whole group. Once the stress is relieved and
everyone together calmly consider carefully every aspect of the problem as if it has been
partially resolved.

Problem solving is the best way to gain more experience

Reality shows that 'experience' is what builds up every time we solve a problem that occurs in
work or life. The most resilient ships are those that experience many windstorms off the
coast. When a problem or contradiction suddenly arises requires that we must be able to
improvise and use our analytical mind and research to come up with solutions sometimes
under time pressure or The spirit is quite large. This gives us the season of 'bravery in the
face of difficulties' is also the candidate's experience that every employer attaches importance
to.

Helping you to be an 'action man'

Problem solving is a multi-step process in which the most important step is 'execution’. No
matter how cool the solution is, if it is not implemented quickly and accurately, the problem
will be there forever. With good problem-solving skills you tend to be a 'do-it-you-can-do-
and-do' person instead of wasting time on deliberation. This will make you a very responsive
and productive person while saving a lot of time for the company.

Helps develop situation analysis and judgment skills

Acutely the ability to analyze and judge that we use in many situations in life brings practical
benefits. But we don't always have the opportunity to practice these skills. Problem solving is
one of the most effective exercises for you to develop your analytical and judgmental
skills. After each difficult challenge, take time to re-examine the whole thing and reassess
your ability to analyze judgment. The solutions you come up are not effective. You did not
expect anything. All these actions help you improve yourself and have a sharper mindset the
next time. Soft skills are invaluable assets that each of us must accumulate each day on our
career path. When you encounter an unexpected problem or problem, you will definitely
overcome it easily if you have trained yourself to respond. Calmly and confidently resolving
problems fluently will also help you grow into a more confident and agile strong person that
helps you actively develop yourself in the work environment.

II. Some techniques and tools for the problem solving:

1) Some techniques for problem solving:
Step Characteristics

1. Define the problem: Diagnose the Differentiate fact from opinion.

situation so that your focus is on the
Specify underlying causes.
problem, not just its symptoms. Helpful
problem-solving techniques include using Consult each faction involved for

flowcharts to identify the expected steps of a information.

process and cause-and-effect diagrams to
define and analyze root causes.
2. Generate alternative solutions:
Considering multiple alternatives can
significantly enhance the value of your ideal
solution. Many alternative solutions to the
problem should be generated before final
State the problem specifically.
Avoid trying to solve the problem without
data.
Postpone evaluating alternatives initially.
Include all involved individuals in the
generating of alternatives.
Specify alternatives consistent with

evaluation. organizational goals

3. Evaluate and select an alternative: Skilled

problem solvers use a series of
Evaluate alternatives relative to a target
considerations when selecting the best
standard.
alternative.
 Evaluate all alternatives without bias.

Evaluate alternatives relative to established

goals.

Evaluate both proven and possible

outcomes.

State the selected alternative explicitly.

4. Implement and follow up on the solution:
Leaders may be called upon to direct others
to implement the solution, "sell" the
solution, or facilitate the implementation
with the help of others. Involving others in
Plan and implement a pilot test of the
chosen alternative.
Gather feedback from all affected parties.
Seek acceptance or consensus by all those

the implementation is an effective way to affected.

gain buy-in and support and minimize Evaluate long-term results b

resistance to subsequent changes.

2) Some tools for problem solving:

In order to be effective at problem solving you are likely to need some other key tools, which
include:

 Creativity: Problems are usually solved either intuitively or systematically. Intuition

is employed when no new knowledge is required - you recognize enough to be able to
make a fast decision and solve the matter, otherwise you use wisdom or experience to
resolve the matter. More complex problems or problems that you just haven't
experienced before will likely require a more systematic and logical approach to
unravel, and for these you may must use creativity.
 Searching: Defining and solving problems often requires you to do some research:
this may be a simple Google search or a more rigorous research project. See our
Research Methods section for ideas on how to conduct effective research.
 Teamwork: Many problems are best defined and solved with the input of other
people. Team working may sound like a 'work thing' but it is just as important at
home and school as well as in the workplace.
  Emotion Intelligence: It is worth considering the impact that a problem and its
solution has on you and other people. Emotional intelligence, the ability to recognize
the emotions of yourself and others, will help guide you to an appropriate solution.
 Risk Management: Solving a problem involves a certain amount of risk - this risk
needs to be weighed up against not solving the problem.
 Decision Making: Problem solving and decision making are closely related skills,
and making a decision is an important part of the problem solving process as you will
often be faced with.

III. Problems and solution in training events:

Types training events Problems Solution
If it is an event like a
conference conference
where the number of
guests is too small or too

The guests were too few than late than expected,

expected immediately take the act

of connecting with your
customers and have all
staff present to call. guests
Workshop
to remind them
In community events with
large numbers of guests
you need to equip a strong
security team to avoid
messy situations. For
conflicts or incidents of
violence that are too big
for you to control, it is
best to call the police to
suppress and mobilize
There was violent clash
additional security guards
between the guests
to support to limit extreme
situations that lead to
 serious consequences.
A big percent will be in
this situation, when
someone was late. If
he/she doesn’t have

Late ! justifiable reasons. He/she

have to be skipped and
punish then. Or not, we
Visit Company can give him/her about 5
minutes to go
Before visiting a
company, we should
Lack of knowledge about the
research about this
company will visit
company like culture,
type, people…
Want to prolong
time. This situation often
falls into the situation of
waiting for the boss to
come to the start of the
program or waiting for the
Organize the program earlier
boss to give
(later) than expected
gifts. Processing
experience is that you use
your reserve games. But
Team Building
keep in mind that reserve
games don't organize too
much fun or get too
active. Keep your best
energy when important
people join. This time is
simply firefighting.
It is advisable to monitor
 local weather forecasts
carefully and have other
backup locations when
Weather risks weather risks
arise. Prepare ecessary
shielding techniques like
an umbrella

M2.Research the use of different problem-solving techniques used in the design and
delivery of an event.

I . Definition
Problem solving is all about using logic, as well as imagination, to make sense of a situation
and come up with an intelligent solution. In fact, the best problem solvers actively anticipate
potential future problems and act to prevent them or to mitigate their effects.

Problem-solving abilities are connected to a number of other skills, including:

analytical skills

innovative and creative thinking

a lateral mindset

adaptability and flexibility

level-headedness

initiative

resilience (in order to reassess when your first idea doesn’t work)

teamworking (if problem solving is a team effort)

influencing skills (to get colleagues, clients and bosses to adopt your solutions).

Identifying a problem is often the kernel for a new business or product idea – and, as such,
problem solving is an essential ingredient of entrepreneurialism. It is also a key component
of good leadership.

Demonstrating your problem-solving abilities

1) Why all graduates require problem-solving skills in the workplace
Some graduate careers revolve around finding solutions – for
example, engineering, management consulting, scientific research and technology. Graduates
in other careers, meanwhile, will be expected to solve problems that crop up in the course of
their jobs: for example, trainee managers should deal with operational problems (such as
delays in the supply chain) or resolve conflict between team members.

In fact, the ability to solve problems is an essential part of any employee’s skill set, even if it
isn’t specified on the job description.

2) How will employers assess your problem-solving skills?

Your problem-solving abilities can be assessed in three ways: by asking for examples of
times when you previously solved a problem; by presenting you with certain hypothetical
situations and asking how you would respond to them; and by seeing how you apply your
problem-solving skills to different tests and exercises.

3) Competency-based application and interview questions about problem solving

You may be asked for an example of when you solved a problem on an application form – for
instance, an engineering firm’s application form has previously included the question ‘Please
tell us about a time when you have used your technical skills and knowledge to solve a
problem’. But these questions are more likely at interview. Typical problem-solving
competency-based questions include:

Give me an example of a time when you ran into a problem on a project. What did you do?

Give me an example of a difficult problem you had to solve outside of your course. How did
you approach it?

Tell me about a time you worked through a problem as a team.

Have you ever had a disagreement with a team member? How was it resolved?

Give me an example of a time when you spotted a potential problem and took steps to stop it
becoming one.

Give me an example of a time when you handled a major crisis.

Give me an example of your lateral thinking.

4) Hypothetical interview questions about problem solving
Interviewers will also be interested to know how you would approach problems that could
arise when you are in the workplace. The precise interview questions will vary according to
the job, but common ones include:

How would you deal with conflict in the workplace? (This is especially likely to be asked of
trainee managers and graduate HR professionals.)

What would you do if there is an unexpected delay to one of your projects because of supply
chain issues? (This is particularly likely to be asked in construction, logistics or retail
interviews).

What would you do if a client or customer raised a complaint?

What would you do if you noticed that a colleague was struggling with their work?

How would you react if given negative feedback by a manager on an aspect of your
performance?

How would you judge whether you should use your own initiative on a task or ask for help?

Problem-solving exercises and tests for graduate jobs

Different tests that employers could set to gauge your problem-solving skills include:

Online aptitude, psychometric and ability tests. These are normally taken as part of the
application stage, although they may be repeated at an assessment centre. The tests that are
most likely to assess your problem-solving skills are situational judgement tests and any that
assess your reasoning, such as inductive reasoning or diagrammatic reasoning tests.

Video ‘immersive experiences’, game-based recruitment exercises or virtual reality

assessments. Not all of these methods are widely used yet but they are becoming more
common. They are usually the recruitment stage before a face-to-face interview or
assessment centre.

Case study exercises. These are common assessment centre tasks. You’d be set a business
problem, typically related to the sector in which you’d be working, and asked to make
recommendations for solving it, either individually or in groups. You’ll also usually be asked
to outline your recommendations in either a presentation or in written form, a task that
assesses your ability to explain your problem-solving approach.
In-tray (or e-tray) exercises. These always used to be set at an assessment centre but
nowadays can also be part of the online testing stage. In-tray exercises primarily test your
time management skills, but also assess your ability to identify a potential problem and take
actions to solve it.

Job-specific or task-specific exercises, given at an assessment centre or at an interview. If set,

these will be related to the role you are applying for and will either require you to devise a
solution to a problem or to spot errors. Civil and structural engineering candidates, for
example, will often be required to sketch a design in answer to a client’s brief and answer
questions on it, while candidates for editorial roles may be asked to proofread copy or spot
errors in page proofs (fully designed pages about to be published).

5) How to develop and demonstrate your problem-solving skills

Here are some tips on how to develop the problem-solving techniques employers look for.

Seek out opportunities to gain problem-solving examples

Dealing with any of the following situations will help you gain problem-solving skills,
perhaps without even realising it:

Sorting out a technical problem with your phone, device or computer.

Resolving a dispute with a tricky landlord in order to get your deposit back.

Carrying out DIY.

Serving a demanding customer or resolving a complaint.

Finding a way round a funding shortfall in order to pay for travel or a gap year.

Turning around the finances or increasing the membership of a struggling student society.

Organising a student society’s trip overseas, overcoming unforeseen difficulties on the way.

Acting as a course rep or as a mentor for other students.

There should also be opportunities for you to develop problem-solving skills through your
studies. Many assignments in subjects such as engineering and computer science are
explicitly based around solving a problem in a way that, for example, essay topics in English
literature aren’t. But, then, English literature students may also encounter academic problems,
such as difficulties in tracking down the best source material.
Some professional bodies (for example, those in construction) run competitions for students,
which often ask students to suggest solutions for problems facing the industry; entering these
can provide good evidence of your problem-solving skills.

Games such as Sudoku and chess can also strengthen your ability to think strategically and
creatively.

6) Practise recruitment exercises beforehand

Any candidate, no matter how high-flying, may be thrown by undertaking an online test or
attending an assessment centre for the first time, so do everything you can to practise
beforehand. Access our links to free and paid-for practice tests. Contact your careers service
and book in for a mock-interview or mock-assessment centre.

7) Keep in mind this problem-solving technique

If you’re provided with a scenario or a case study during the graduate recruitment process,
you could try using the IDEAL model, described by Bransford and Stein in their book Ideal
Problem Solver. It breaks down what you need to do to solve a problem into stages:

Identify the issue

Define the obstacles

Examine your options

Act on an agreed course of action

Look at how it turns out, and whether any changes need to be made.

8) Give detail in your answers

You will need to explain how you identified the problem, came up with a solution and
implemented it. Quantifiable results are good, and obviously the more complex the situation,
the more impressive a successful result is. Follow the STAR technique outlined in our article
on competency-based interview questions.

If you tackled a problem as part of a team, explain how your role was important in ensuring
the positive solution, but also explain how your group worked together. This could be an
opportunity to promote your teamworking skills as well.

P4. Demonstrate that critical reasoning has been applied to a given solution.
 I. What is Critical Thinking?
Critical thinking is the ability to think clearly and rationally, understanding the logical
connection between ideas.  Critical thinking has been the subject of much debate and thought
since the time of early Greek philosophers such as Plato and Socrates and has continued to be
a subject of discussion into the modern age, for example the ability to recognise fake news.

Critical thinking might be described as the ability to engage in reflective and independent
thinking.

In essence, critical thinking requires you to use your ability to reason. It is about being an
active learner rather than a passive recipient of information.

Critical thinkers rigorously question ideas and assumptions rather than accepting them at face
value. They will always seek to determine whether the ideas, arguments and findings
represent the entire picture and are open to finding that they do not.

Critical thinkers will identify, analyse and solve problems systematically rather than by
intuition or instinct.

II. Someone with critical thinking skills can:

 Understand the links between ideas.
 Determine the importance and relevance of arguments and ideas.
 Recognise, build and appraise arguments.
 Identify inconsistencies and errors in reasoning.
 Approach problems in a consistent and systematic way.
 Reflect on the justification of their own assumptions, beliefs and values.

Critical thinking is thinking about things in certain ways so as to arrive at the best possible
solution in the circumstances that the thinker is aware of. In more everyday language, it is a
way of thinking about whatever is presently occupying your mind so that you come to the
best possible conclusion.

III. The Skills We Need for Critical Thinking

The skills that we need in order to be able to think critically are varied and include
observation, analysis, interpretation, reflection, evaluation, inference, explanation, problem
solving, and decision making.

Specifically we need to be able to:

  Think about a topic or issue in an objective and critical way.
 Identify the different arguments there are in relation to a particular issue.
 Evaluate a point of view to determine how strong or valid it is.
 Recognise any weaknesses or negative points that there are in the evidence or
argument.
 Notice what implications there might be behind a statement or argument.
 Provide structured reasoning and support for an argument that we wish to make.

IV. The Critical Thinking Process

You should be aware that none of us think critically all the time.

Sometimes we think in almost any way but critically, for example when our self-control is
affected by anger, grief or joy or when we are feeling just plain ‘bloody minded’.

On the other hand, the good news is that, since our critical thinking ability varies according to
our current mindset, most of the time we can learn to improve our critical thinking ability by
developing certain routine activities and applying them to all problems that present themselves.

Once you understand the theory of critical thinking, improving your critical thinking skills
takes persistence and practice

Think of something that someone has recently told you. Then ask yourself the following
questions:

Who said it?

Someone you know? Someone in a position of authority or power? Does it matter who told
you this?

What did they say?

Did they give facts or opinions? Did they provide all the facts? Did they leave anything out?

Where did they say it?

Was it in public or in private? Did other people have a chance to respond an provide an
alternative account?

When did they say it?

Was it before, during or after an important event? Is timing important?

Why did they say it?

Did they explain the reasoning behind their opinion? Were they trying to make someone look
good or bad?

How did they say it?

Were they happy or sad, angry or indifferent? Did they write it or say it? Could you understand
what was said?

V. What are you Aiming to Achieve?

One of the most important aspects of critical thinking is to decide what you are aiming to
achieve and then make a decision based on a range of possibilities.

Once you have clarified that aim for yourself you should use it as the starting point in all future
situations requiring thought and, possibly, further decision making. Where needed, make your
workmates, family or those around you aware of your intention to pursue this goal. You must
then discipline yourself to keep on track until changing circumstances mean you have to revisit
the start of the decision making process.

However, there are things that get in the way of simple decision making. We all carry with us a
range of likes and dislikes, learnt behaviours and personal preferences developed throughout
our lives; they are the hallmarks of being human. A major contribution to ensuring we think
critically is to be aware of these personal characteristics, preferences and biases and make
allowance for them when considering possible next steps, whether they are at the pre-action
consideration stage or as part of a rethink caused by unexpected or unforeseen impediments to
continued progress.

The more clearly we are aware of ourselves, our strengths and weaknesses, the more likely our
critical thinking will be productive.

VI. The Benefit of Foresight

Perhaps the most important element of thinking critically is foresight.

Almost all decisions we make and implement don’t prove disastrous if we find reasons to
abandon them. However, our decision making will be infinitely better and more likely to lead
to success if, when we reach a tentative conclusion, we pause and consider the impact on the
people and activities around us.
The elements needing consideration are generally numerous and varied. In many cases,
consideration of one element from a different perspective will reveal potential dangers in
pursuing our decision.

For instance, moving a business activity to a new location may improve potential output
considerably but it may also lead to the loss of skilled workers if the distance moved is too
great. Which of these is the more important consideration? Is there some way of lessening the
conflict?

These are the sort of problems that may arise from incomplete critical thinking, a
demonstration perhaps of the critical importance of good critical thinking.

M3. Justify the use and application of a range of solution methodologies.

I. Dentifying potential solutions

As we’ve discovered, finding a solution is not always an easy process but it should start with a
conscious decision to generate a set of options before reviewing them all and selecting one.

In other words, it’s important to consider a range of alternatives, rather than simply selecting
the first option that pops into your mind. Consider this figure, for example:

We can avoid jumping from problems to solutions – and in doing so, minimise the risk of
selecting the wrong solution – by ensuring that we follow a clear and methodical process.
One of the ways we can do this is by using something called a ‘solution definition card’ (see
example below).

A definition card details the situation at hand, including any complications, symptoms or
consequences; the key question you want to answer; who has authority to direct your project;
anyone who can influence your project; any main goals, budget, deadlines; and any actions
under your control which you choose to take.

After working through each step in the definition card, you can then develop a solutions map to
outline a range of alternatives. The purpose of a solutions map is to identify various alternative
solutions before we settle on a final solution.
Like other problem-solving tools, a solution map can take many forms. However, the key
objective of this process is not to just outline a sequence of steps, but to identify a range of
alternatives.

For example, consider the range of alternatives in this diagram.

I. Selecting the solution
Once we’ve figured out how to identify the options available, we next need to choose the right
one to implement.

Selecting a solution can be a difficult task. We can be very good at fooling ourselves into
believing that we are intuitive decision-makers when, in reality, we are influenced by a variety
of unique factors.

To avoid the human-centred issue of not making good intuitive decisions, we ideally want to
have a structured decision-making approach for managing complex problems and selecting
their solutions.

The approach used and shown has just two steps. These focus on getting rid of any options
which are just not feasible before doing a cross-comparison to see which of the remaining
options is the best.

 Step 1: eliminate unsuitable options by passing them through a screening

process In this process we need to identify if the solutions meet all the necessary and
sufficient conditions, and if they are feasible or not.
 Step 2: compare remaining solutions to figure out which should be implemented A
simple way to tackle this can be to choose one that will preclude you from choosing
another (eg if I choose to drive my car to work, it means I can’t take a helicopter to
work).

Overall, you should try to choose the solution that gives you the best chance of success based
on the criteria you will use to measure the outcome (eg cost, time, profitability etc). For
example, if two options are both feasible, is the solution that is more cost-effective a better
option than the solution that is more time-effective?

II. Implementing the solution

If you are at this stage, you have chosen a solution and are ready to implement it as a project.
There are a few steps to this process:

 Develop a project plan which helps to validate with your stakeholders the project
scope, objectives, deliverables, risks, and deadlines.
 Manage the project, including stakeholders and people involved as well as any
political, cultural and cognitive dimensions which the project may bring with it.
  Select and monitor the key elements to measure about the project and the solution you
implement (these will help you to identify any issues early on and make corrections, as
well as determine if your solution has been effective once it is implemented).

Following this list of procedures and processes will help you to implement your solution and
then and measure it. This means you will have test data to prove at the end of the process

whether or not the implemented solution was effective.