"Many highly intelligent people are poor thinkers. Many people of average intelligence are skilled thinkers. The power of the car is separate from the way the car is driven.” Edward de Bono

Quality of thinking is central to doing research. Yet "how to think" is rarely part of our formal studies. What answers would would you give if someone asked "How should we go about our thinking here?". It's assumed that we pick up more effective thinking practices by infusion when we study for research degrees. But that is a passive approach to the general field of "thinking", and instead we can learn this topic directly: the vocabulary, tools and approaches. That is what we'll be doing on this one day workshop.

This event is about the craft of “thinking” and the different ways we can approach that systematically to be more effective thinkers. We will look at the different kinds of thinking we need to do and practical tools that develop our ability to think rigorously, progressively and creatively. To do this we will take a broad sweep touching on approaches that are valuable for your particular situation and for working in teams. There are four key areas we will draw from:
• Critical Thinking: logic, argument, analysis and the nature of proof - as in a thesis or research paper.
• Creative Thinking: tools for fresh thinking; creative solutions and original ideas.
• Constructive Thinking: identifying the different components of thinking, so we can work with them effectively.
• Practical Thinking: putting it together in practice, and gaining skill.

Facilitator: Dr Adrian West, Company of Mind

Dr. Adrian West co-founded the shared virtual reality research group at The University of Manchester. He has held UK and EU research grants, leading both Technology and Psychology contributions, and has also been an expert reviewer in technology for the European Commission. He went on to lead a team of engineers at a U.S. Venture capital funded technology company which was sold off to IBM in 2008. Adrian has been Research Director for The Edward de Bono Foundation which specialises in thinking as a skill and has inspired over 200 cross-discipline innovation teams in academia and industry. His research interest in perception and thinking developed into Company of Mind, which facilitates thinking skills for corporations, Government bodies, and Universities. He is routinely voted best Lecturer by technology students, and by business leaders when he presents on innovation and thinking skills.

Comments
“That was fantastic and so enjoyable – I never realised there was so much to learn about thinking!”. Previous PhD participant, Liverpool University.

“Thank you for the great workshop. We covered some fascinating material in a super engaging, friendly and productive way. I find it hard to imagine someone topping you in terms of energy and provocativeness.” Petar Gerganov, PG Researcher, The University of Manchester.

"I felt there was such a tremendous amount from the workshop I could apply directly – in my research and my personal life. I also enjoyed the fact that aspects of the underlying psychology were interwoven in a way that actually enhanced the practical advice. Last, but not least, Dr West is a superbly engaging speaker and so I couldn't help but enjoy what might otherwise have been quite an overwhelming session". Mo Rahman, PhD Candidate, Chemistry, The University of Manchester.