Develop Conceptual Thinking for Problem-Solving (FutureLearn)

Offered by FutureLearn,
Develop Conceptual Thinking for Problem-Solving (FutureLearn)

Use critical thinking and the conceptual thinking framework to approach problems effectively and communicate your solutions. Learn to solve complex problems with strategic thinking
Life and business are getting faster and more complex every day. The faster pace ramps up the pressure to act quickly but this complexity demands careful, strategic, conceptual thinking, which takes time.

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see FutureLearn's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

On this four-week course featuring content from BigThink, you’ll discover the conceptual thinking framework and learn how to apply it to problems and communicate your analysis in order to problem-solve efficiently and effectively.
You’ll learn from some of the brightest minds in conceptual thinking such as Alan Alda, Charles Duhigg, Leonard Mlodinow, and Nancy Duarte, to name a few.
Discover how to approach and define problem-solving
A common mistake companies make when tackling complex problems is failing to do the pre-work. This can lead to time, energy, and money being wasted because either the team isn’t right or the goals are poorly defined.
This course will guide you through strategies for looking at the problem space with clarity, then assembling a team with the right balance of talents to think creatively and reach consensus.
Explore different critical thinking strategies
We have hardwired tendencies to think within our “comfort zones” which can often cause us to miss opportunities and perspectives that might lead to more creative solutions.
On this course you’ll learn strategies for thinking deeply, considering all stakeholders, seeing the problem through different eyes, evaluating potential risks, and connecting unlikely dots for inspiration.
Develop your communication skills to get buy-in for your solutions
No matter how brilliant your idea might be, communication can mean the difference between success and failure.
You’ll learn to transform your idea into a reality by improving your communication skills to get buy-in from other stakeholders and decision-makers.

Syllabus

Week 1: Approaching
Week 2: Defining
Week 3: Thinking
Week 4: Communication

Learning on this course
You can take this self-guided course and learn at your own pace. On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Apply the conceptual thinking framework to a problem of your choice and structure your team to implement it.
  • Define the problem you’re facing in clear and succinct terms.
  • Apply critical thinking strategies to generate possible solutions.
  • Explore how to communicate your analysis of the problem and your proposed solutions in ways that win buy-in from other stakeholders within and outside of your organisation.

Who is the course for?
This course is designed for professionals at any stage in their career.
If you’re interested in applying conceptual thinking to your organisation, this course can help you to understand how to tackle complex problems, define goals clearly, and develop effective solutions.

Go to Class
MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

Leadership tools for ethical problem-solving (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
Nottingham Trent University

Leadership tools for ethical problem-solving (FutureLearn)

Learn how to lead values-driven action in your organisation and to manage ethical risks systematically and collaboratively. Develop essential leadership skills to manage ethical risks. On this three-week course, you’ll discover how to manage and lead effectively within your organisation. You’ll learn how to identify and overcome ethical dilemmas as you develop your understanding of leadership issues and trends in organisations.

Self Paced
3 Weeks
Critical Thinking at University: An Introduction (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
University of Leeds

Critical Thinking at University: An Introduction (FutureLearn)

Critical thinking is a vital skill for university study whatever your discipline. Prepare for university now. Make sure you have the critical thinking skills required for university. Critical thinking is a vital skill at university and later in life. University study introduces you to new concepts, ways of learning and requires you to think critically. You need to know how to question information sources and how to evaluate different arguments.

Self Paced
2 Weeks
The IB Extended Essay: Managing your Research Project (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
University of Leeds,International Baccalaureate Organization

The IB Extended Essay: Managing your Research Project (FutureLearn)

Get expert guidance on writing your IB Diploma Programme extended essay with this course designed for IB students and teachers. Develop the research skills needed for a successful IB extended essay. This course has been created to support International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme students who are writing an extended essay.

No sessions available
2 Weeks
World of Spies: Keeping Secrets (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
Purdue University

World of Spies: Keeping Secrets (FutureLearn)

Get a taste of spy training, and learn how you can keep your secrets safe with a course designed for 13-18 year olds. What does it take to be a spy? Strong critical thinking and communication skills, a firm grasp of logic, and a love of puzzles are all useful. This course will help you develop those abilities while exploring the exciting world of espionage. You’ll learn about code-making and breaking, encryption, logical thinking and more as you find out whether you would make a good spy.

No sessions available
4 Weeks
How to Read a Film (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
Film Distributors' Association

How to Read a Film (FutureLearn)

Delve into the devices used to create meaning in film as you gain a deeper understanding of what we see on screen. Master film studies as you learn how films create meaning. When you watch a film there are many elements working together to produce what you see and hear. The different elements, known as devices, have been carefully constructed so that your attention is drawn to certain things at certain times, forming the way in which a film communicates its story. On this five-week course, you’ll unpack these elements to discover how they work, what they are called, and how they work together.

Self Paced
5-12 Weeks
Engaging with Controversies in the Food System (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
University of Reading,EIT Food,EIT

Engaging with Controversies in the Food System (FutureLearn)

Become more confident in making informed decisions about the food you eat by exploring different food controversies. Learn how to assess the reliability of different sources of food information. Consumers have never been confronted with so much food choice. Making a decision on what food to eat is affected by many factors, including media reports, diet research findings, and social media.

Jan 2nd 2023
3 Weeks
Climate Intelligence: Using Climate Data to Improve Business Decision-Making (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
University of Reading

Climate Intelligence: Using Climate Data to Improve Business Decision-Making (FutureLearn)

Build climate resilience in your business as you learn how climate intelligence helps make decisions that mitigate risks. How exposed is your organisation to climate risk? Climate and weather projections hold the data that businesses need both to evaluate the risk climate change poses and to mitigate that risk. However, interpreting this data can be challenging. On this two-week course, you’ll learn how to identify relevant and reliable climate data for your business and explore how that raw data can be converted into information that connects with the particular operational and financial decisions you face.

Self Paced
2 Weeks
Preparing for University (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
University of East Anglia

Preparing for University (FutureLearn)

Build the academic skills you need for learning at university and ease your transition from school learning to higher education. Develop writing, critical thinking, and analytical skills for university study. Learning at a university level requires enhanced critical thinking skills, as well as being able to hold a supported, substantive argument and critically analyse sources or data.

Self Paced
5-12 Weeks
Systems Thinking and Complexity (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
UNESCO UNITWIN Complex Systems Digital Campus

Systems Thinking and Complexity (FutureLearn)

Learn how to use systems and complexity thinking to address a variety of social, managerial and policy problems. This free online course addresses the practical problems that arise in social systems in the context of management and public policy at local, regional and global levels. It is problem-oriented, providing you with both the theoretical understanding and practical tools, to find and implement solutions to organisational and social problems.

No sessions available
2 Weeks
Using Virtual Scenarios to Create Effective Learning (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
St George's, University of London,Waves

Using Virtual Scenarios to Create Effective Learning (FutureLearn)

Learn how to use virtual scenarios to help people practice their decision making and prepare for real world challenges. Virtual scenarios are online educational resources which help learners explore real world decisions, making both good judgements and errors in a safe environment. They are used to prepare professionals to deal with a range of workplace challenges.

Self Paced
3 Weeks
Migration, Mobilities and Citizenship (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
University of Bristol

Migration, Mobilities and Citizenship (FutureLearn)

Explore who counts as a ‘migrant’ to better understand the processes and experiences of migration. Develop critical thinking skills around the concepts of migration and mobilities. This two-week multidisciplinary course will enable you to develop all the critical thinking skills you need surrounding the twin concepts of migration and mobilities. You’ll explore contemporary human movements within their historical context, and will also cover the current global situation of COVID-19, as well as the relation of race and racism to migration.

Self Paced
2 Weeks
Introduction to Predictive Modelling (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
Deakin University

Introduction to Predictive Modelling (FutureLearn)

Explore the core concepts of predictive modelling and the steps of the CRISP-DM process. Learn how to produce information-based predictions to help in decision-making. The modern world is full of prediction problems in business and economics. This course will help you to explore the core concepts of machine learning and predictive modelling. You’ll be able to identify predictive modelling opportunities with economic data for use within public and private sectors.

Dec 19th 2022
2 Weeks