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

Finance Fundamentals: Investment Theory and Practice (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
The Open University

Finance Fundamentals: Investment Theory and Practice (FutureLearn)


Look at the investment choices open to you, and the risks and returns of each. Start managing your financial future effectively. Ensure your investments are effective and match your risk-return appetite. Research shows that UK households are poor at investment management, with a limited understanding of choices, risks and returns. This could mean that many people cannot afford to retire in future.

No sessions available
4 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
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
Why Research Matters (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
Griffith University,Deakin University

Why Research Matters (FutureLearn)

Explore what research is and why it’s so important to us all. Find out how to make evidence-based decisions. Imagine a world without research, where governments carry out policy based on hunches and manufacturers release products without testing. Research allows us to solve problems on a global scale and make evidence-based decisions.

No sessions available
2 Weeks
Creative Problem Solving: Design Thinking in Health and Social Care (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
St George's, University of London

Creative Problem Solving: Design Thinking in Health and Social Care (FutureLearn)

Learn how design thinking can be applied in health and social care settings to drive innovation and approach challenges. Explore how design thinking can be applied in health and social care. Healthcare systems face many issues: increasing demand, limited budgets, and major health challenges like ageing populations. New approaches are needed to ensure healthcare systems are working as well as they can.

Self Paced
2 Weeks
How to Survive on Mars: the Science Behind the Human Exploration of Mars (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
Monash University

How to Survive on Mars: the Science Behind the Human Exploration of Mars (FutureLearn)

Learn the basic science needed for humans to survive on Mars, with this free online science course. Mars has captivated the human imagination since the very earliest civilisations. It is the most explored planet in the solar system and that is unlikely to change. Getting to Mars is relatively easy, surviving on Mars will be the real challenge.

No sessions available
4 Weeks
Decision Making in a Complex and Uncertain World (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
University of Groningen

Decision Making in a Complex and Uncertain World (FutureLearn)

This course will teach you the first principles of complexity, uncertainty and how to make decisions in a complex world. To learn how complexity and uncertainty influence and constrain our decisions. Our world seems to ever become more complex and uncertain. Future leaders must be able to act under these conditions. This course provides you with the broad scientific background necessary to develop yourself into one of the future’s key decision makers. First, this course will address the core concepts of complexity and uncertainty.

No sessions available
5-12 Weeks
Ethical Decision-Making in Care (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
University of Exeter,University of Surrey

Ethical Decision-Making in Care (FutureLearn)

Raise your awareness of everyday ethical issues in care and learn techniques to make ethical decisions. Learn how to use ethical frameworks to make decisions in care. On this course, you’ll explore ethical issues that arise in daily care, and learn the best practices for reflecting on and making moral decisions.

Oct 11th 2021
4 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
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
Skills to Succeed at University (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
University of Leeds

Skills to Succeed at University (FutureLearn)

Prepare for university and master academic skills that are essential for undergraduates studying in the UK. Get a head start with your undergraduate studies by learning key academic skills. This two-week course is designed by experienced educators at the University of Leeds to help you transition to higher education smoothly. You’ll pick up top tips and first-hand advice on how to start and thrive at university from current students who came to the University of Leeds through different routes such as after completing a BTEC, A levels or as mature students.

Self Paced
3 Weeks