To borrow from Papa John’s popular pizza advertising tagline: Better Thinking, Better Company. Unfortunately, strong thinking skills are far from universal: in fact, by one report, only 28% of college graduates have “excellent” critical thinking skills. To help, we built Think-O-Meter. This new app is designed for Apple’s incredibly popular iPhone and iPod touch, works fine on the iPad, too – and it’s free. If you’ve been wondering how to promote critical thinking in your organization, this is a great place to start.
iPhone, iPod touch and iPad users can get Think-O-Meter here, through Apple’s AppStore. Once it’s running, it guides users through several common business scenarios that require critical thinking, offering multiple choice questions for each. For example, users are called upon dispel rumors about an impending merger that might cost rank-and-file employees their jobs; later, they’re asked to convince senior management to invest in an entirely new product category.
Throughout, Think-O-Meter offers clear feedback on right and wrong answers, as well as encouragement when users successfully answer all of a level’s questions.
As users walk through these scenarios, they’re asked to use increasingly sophisticated critical thinking skills associated with recognizing assumptions, evaluating arguments, and drawing conclusions. For example, in the second round of scenarios, they’re asked to consider the relevance of information, distinguish facts from opinion, and seek alternative viewpoints.
Think-O-Meter can help managers see opportunities more clearly, improve the effectiveness of their communications, and make higher-quality decisions. We invite you to download it, play with it, and see for yourself.
Author: Bill Camarda has 25+ years’ experience writing, developing, and marketing educational and training content. His work has engaged, instructed, and motivated audiences including business leaders, managers, and salespeople; technical and financial professionals; and university faculty and students. He is author of 18 technology books, including Special Edition Using Microsoft Word 2003. His books have been translated into six languages.
