Apply critical thinking to work practices
Apply critical thinking to work practices
Table of Contents
Application ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 3
1.2 – Evaluate situations in which critical thinking concepts are applied in work practices ................................................... 13
1.3 – Articulate benefits of applying critical thinking practices in the workplace ...................................................................... 17
2.1 – Analyse existing and proposed work practices and identify limitations.............................................................................. 21
2.2 – Locate information on selected work practices for the development of solutions ......................................................... 24
2.3 – Determine solutions for workplace limitations using critical thinking concepts ................................................................. 27
2.4 – Develop a proposal for solutions using a decision-making framework according to organisational policies and
procedures .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 30
2.5 – Present ideas for solutions and justify decision-making process to relevant stakeholders ............................................. 34
.................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 36
3.2 – Seek feedback from relevant stakeholders on use of critical thinking from relevant stakeholders ............................. 42
3.3 – Identify areas for self-development in relation to own job role ............................................................................................. 44
.................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 46
3.4 – Develop plan for future process evaluations and incorporate improvements identified .............................................. 47
Unit of Competency
Application
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to use advanced-level critical
thinking skills in a workplace context. This includes using methods of analysis, synthesis
and evaluation.
The unit applies to individuals who evaluate existing or proposed work practices. These
individuals are typically responsible for reviewing or developing work processes,
products or services that may be proposed or already existing.
This unit supersedes and is equivalent to BSBCRT404 Apply advanced critical thinking to
work processes
Unit Sector
Performance Criteria
Element Performance Criteria
Elements describe the essential Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate
outcomes. achievement of the element.
1. Establish role of critical 1.1 Identify key characteristics of critical thinking processes
thinking in workplace 1.2 Evaluate situations in which critical thinking concepts are applied in
work practices
1.3 Articulate benefits of applying critical thinking practices in the
workplace
2. Lead critical thinking 2.1 Analyse existing and proposed work practices and identify limitations
process 2.2 Locate information on selected work practices for the development
of solutions
2.3 Determine solutions for workplace limitations using critical thinking
concepts
2.4 Develop a proposal for solutions using a decision-making framework
according to organisational policies and procedures
2.5 Present ideas for solutions and justify decision-making process to
relevant stakeholders
3. Develop critical thinking 3.1 Review decision-making practices in the work area
mindset 3.2 Seek feedback from relevant stakeholders on use of critical thinking
from relevant stakeholders
3.3 Identify areas for self-development in relation to own job role
3.4 Develop plan for future process evaluations and incorporate
improvements identified
Foundation Skills
This section describes language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills incorporated in the
performance criteria that are required for competent performance.
Learning:
➢ Reflects on own performance and seeks opportunities to improve own skills and knowledge
➢ Identifies the key themes and ideas to be explored and ways to response to and use diverse
perspectives.
Numeracy:
➢ Interprets and critically analyses numerical data to determine work process requirements.
Oral communication:
➢ Articulates ideas and requirements clearly and persuasively using techniques appropriate to
audience and environment
➢ Participates in a verbal exchange of ideas and elicits the view and opinions of others by listening
and questioning.
Reading:
➢ Interprets, evaluates and extracts relevant information from a range of texts for work requirements.
Writing:
➢ Selects appropriate channel, format, tone and content to suit purpose and audience.
Teamwork:
➢ Seeks to establish interpersonal connections to facilitate work with a diverse range of people.
➢ Adheres to implicit and explicit organisational procedures and policies, seeking advice from others
if necessary.
➢ Uses systematic processes to gather and analyse information required to make decisions.
Problem-solving:
➢ Uses problem-solving skills to evaluate and challenge ideas and move towards solutions.
Technology:
➢ Uses features and functions of digital tools and technologies to store and present information.
Assessment Requirements
Performance Evidence
The candidate must demonstrate the ability to complete the tasks outlined in the elements,
performance criteria and foundation skills of this unit, including evidence of the ability to:
➢ Develop solutions for two different workplace limitations using critical thinking
concepts.
Knowledge Evidence
The candidate must be able to demonstrate knowledge to complete the tasks outlined in the
elements, performance criteria and foundation skills of this unit, including knowledge of:
➢ Critical thinking concepts and the value of applying such approaches in a work
environment
Assessment Conditions
Skills in this unit must be demonstrated in a workplace or simulated environment where the
conditions are typical of those in a working environment in this industry.
Assessors of this unit must satisfy the assessor requirements in applicable vocational
education and training legislation, frameworks and/or standards.
Links
https://vetnet.education.gov.au/Pages/TrainingDocs.aspx?q=11ef6853-ceed-4ba7-
9d87-4da407e23c10
1.2. Evaluate situations in which critical thinking concepts are applied in work
practices
Critical thinking is the process of carefully thinking about a subject or an issue without
being influenced by emotion or opinion. Often critical thinking plays a huge part in
problem-solving and can be a very attractive quality from an employability
perspective. Employers need to be able to trust that their employees can resolve issues
quickly and effectively to ensure maximum productivity within the workplace.
Critical thinkers will often not accept things on face value, choosing to meticulously
analyse information so that they can understand it from multiple perspectives. As a
critical thinker, you must be prepared to discard assumptions and search for alternative
options, despite personal experience or preference. The ability to detach from the
situation or issue that you are faced with is vital when applying critical thinking to work
processes.
Critical thinkers will adopt a sceptical approach and realise that there is always the
possibility of change for improved outcomes. It will be necessary to think and make
quick decisions based on the information that is provided in some instances. However,
you should be aware that there will be a risk of making ill-judged decisions when acting
in such a manner. You should be confident that any decisions are made in full
consideration of the information that is given.
(Source: https://www.skillsyouneed.com/learn/critical-thinking.html)
Many factors will influence the context of a situation, and a good critical thinker will be
able to take the information given and form an accurate opinion of how to resolve the
situation. This can be concluded by analysing the context alongside the content of an
issue or situation. For example, someone's mood or emotion may have influenced how
they interpreted a situation. They may have been hypersensitive or angry, affecting
their own interpretation but maybe not that of a third party.
Throughout this unit, we will explore how you can develop and apply critical thinking
skills to your role or workplace in order to improve working practice.
Identifying situations
Before you can apply critical thinking to a situation appropriately, you must be able to
identify the issue and analytically break it down into stages.
These include:
➢ Identify the problem
➢ Act.
By applying this process, the task will be easier to tackle. This process can be applied to
any situation that arises within the workplace as guidance for methodical problem-
solving or everyday working practices. Critical thinking will apply to and be used by all
employees at any level.
Exploring situations
There are a wide variety of situations in which critical thinking concepts may be applied
in the workplace. If you are able to adopt the practice of critical thinking, then you can
avoid making hasty decisions that can lead to mistakes at work. It will involve the
objective consideration of all relevant information to make the best possible decision.
Critically thought out decisions will be based upon solid and reliable evidence, rather
than emotional judgements. That said, as we have discussed before, a degree of
humility must be applied to critical thinking.
Critical thinking can be instrumental in resolving personal or people issues within the
workplace, such as:
➢ Staffing levels
➢ Workplace disputes
➢ Disciplinary processes.
To ensure any of these situations are resolved professionally and fairly, critical thinking
must be applied. All outcomes must be identified and evaluated emphatically to avoid
unnecessary ill-feeling between colleagues. It is vital that situations are diffused, and
resolutions implemented comply with the organisation’s policies and procedures.
Critical thinking will regularly be used as part of the development process to improve
business products and services. This may involve considering the priorities of customers
and the problems that they want to address. You may also consider the employee’s
perspectives on the workplace for identification of appropriate methods for retention
and the minimisation of conflict.
➢ Allocating resources
➢ Analysing markets
The more confident you get when applying the critical thinking process, the more
competent you will become within your role. You will find that you are able to apply
critical thinking to your role almost subconsciously.
Critics have suggested that there are three levels of thinking ability:
•Explicitly reflective
Level 3 - Highest •Highest skill level
order thinking •Routine use of critical thinking tools in analysing and
assessing thinking
•Selectively reflective
Level 2 - Higher •High skill level
order thinking •Lacks critical thinking vocabulary
•Inconsistently fair, may be skilled in sophistry
•Unreflective
Level 3 - Lower •Low to mixed skill level
order thinking •Frequently relies on gut intuition
•Largely self-serving/self-decieved
When people adopt critical thinking concepts and engage in constructive behaviours,
they generate more ideas, make fewer mistakes, and come to sound decisions.
However, when action is taken in association in haste without proper consideration,
there is a high chance of the proposed actions being flawed, or based on assumptions
or bias.
As a critical thinker, you will appreciate that there is a range of perspectives which can
be adopted in relation to any single issue. You will be able to consider such issues from
other people’s perspectives, weighing up the associated merits. You will draw
conclusions and make decisions based upon solid evidence, rather than having to rely
on intuition or guesswork. The process of critical thinking should also allow you to
maintain some emotional control, considering all possible options for the successful
resolution of problems. You will find it easier to collaborate with others if you adopt this
practice.
For example:
➢ Encouraged curiosity: The ability to think outside the box while questioning what is
presented to them. This can be beneficial to businesses as this curiosity can often
result in taking calculated risks that can increase productivity and revenue
➢ Enhanced creativity: The ability to approach problems with creativity can be very
rewarding within the workplace. Looking at problems from multiple perspectives
can lead to positive outcomes and changes to procedure
➢ Life skill: Although we have focused on the benefits of critical thinking from a work
perspective, it has also been suggested that critical thinkers are happier and more
successful with life in general. Happier people are simply more productive.
2.2. Locate information on selected work practices for the development of solutions
2.3. Determine solutions for workplace limitations using critical thinking concepts
2.5. Present ideas for solutions and justify decision making process to relevant
stakeholders
Workplace processes
Workplace processes are systems which may have a range of inputs from multiple
aspects making up a business. These inputs; finance, employees, marketing etc., are
typically transformed into outputs such as products, services, and behaviours. Processes
may also be defined as a collection of tasks or activities which will allow for the
achievement of objectives upon completion. They are associated with set actions
which must be taken to complete such objectives. There is likely to be some variation
between processes, and there is usually always room for development which is where
we can apply the critical thinking processes to.
The review of business processes should allow for the identification of ways in which
they can be improved and made more efficient. Steps should be identified to maximise
employee productivity and ensure that as much time is spent on producing work. You
should commence with the organisation of a group of employees representing
different levels of the business and who have a direct stake in the processes.
compete against each other’s results. This is popular within sales-based workplaces,
and often employers will alter benchmarks to tighten competition.
Whilst some champion this method as an effective work process, it is not without its
limitations. A competitive work environment can become stressful for employees, and
the circumstance of the workplace can become overlooked due to a target focused
approach.
A critical thought process may apply analytical thinking and consider the humane
aspect of the situation to argue that employee wellbeing is vital to positive outcomes. It
could be suggested that competition is not always the most successful process for
motivating individuals.
(Source https://www.managementstudyguide.com/management-by-objectives.htm)
Addressing limitations
There are a variety of critical thinking techniques that can be used to address
limitations associated with workplace processes, products, and services. It will be
important for you to have an open mind and consider the merits of various
solutions to such limitations.
You should also have the ability to reflect and critically analyse the
limitations. It will be necessary to gather all of the relevant facts
and data for investigation. There should then be some
consideration of associated assumptions and risks. Means of
addressing the limitations should be considered from a wide variety
of perspectives.
Within the workplace, there will be processes that are applied to working practice. To
apply critical thinking to these processes, we would challenge how the processes are
applied and look for alternatives that could potentially boost workplace morale or
increase productivity. Limitations can serve as an inspiration to evolve working
Sourcing information
Within your role, you should apply the process of critical thinking to the selection of
credible and verifiable sources. Aspects that should be taken into consideration
include the source’s reputation for reliability, whether the source has a vested interest,
whether the claims are supported by independent sources, and whether the producer
of the source has relevant knowledge and expertise. You should also account for the
nature of the claim and whether credible reasons are provided in support.
Critical thinking typically involves seeking out the most relevant and reliable evidence
to support personal arguments and checking the evidence provided by others. You
may want to carry out further investigation into topics that are addressed in writing or
programmes that you watch. It will be particularly important to verify information if
there are any doubts about the accuracy of reporting.
Another way of finding additional information for verification will be to refer to the
sources that are cited in any books or articles that you read. Reference to such sources
should enable you to establish whether the source material has been presented
accurately and whether the author’s claims are verified.
Furthermore, you may consider procuring the services of a business consultant, who is
specialised to advise you in a professional and unbiased fashion. This can be hugely
beneficial to a business as it gives another perspective to situations whilst being able to
use the advisor’s experience and expertise to develop and inspire your own business.
Relevant legislation
Workplace legislation should always be authentic, valid, current and reliable.
Legislation can provide a huge amount of information for workplace conduct. These
acts endeavour to create a fair and safe work environment for both employers and
employees. Multiple acts must be considered during the decision-making process and
will inform decisions made regarding work practices.
Legislation includes:
➢ The Fair Work Act 2009
to ensure anyone concerned with the decision is treated fairly and legally, or there
could be legal repercussions for the organisation. Be sure to be familiar with the
relevant legislation for your state or territory.
You should also have the ability to reflect and critically analyse the limitations. It will be
necessary to gather all of the relevant facts and data for investigation. There should
then be some consideration of associated assumptions and risks. Means of addressing
the limitations should be considered from a wide variety of perspectives.
(Source http://www.problem-solving-techniques.com/Developing-
Critical-Thinking-Skills.html)
➢ Drawing inferences – this will involve making guesses based upon the
information included within sources that are referred to. You may be
expected to review and evaluate text, drawing conclusions which
haven’t been explicitly stated
Modern workplaces have been said to be as much a living and breathing entity as the
world that they operate within; ever-changing and evolving they offer new challenges
and goals constantly. This is why it is so important to be able to apply critical thinking
processes to flexible environments so that solutions are found to unexpected or
unpredictable situations.
(Source: https://wabisabilearning.com/blogs/critical-thinking/10-modern-workplace-
skills-students-need)
➢ Be realistic
consideration of what is known and what is not known about the matter being
addressed. Another important consideration may be the perspectives and values of
stakeholders. There should be an attempt to place oneself in the shoes of such
stakeholders and consider aspects that they think of particular importance.
A wide range of possible choices may be listed and considered with regards to the
final decision. This may involve brainstorming with other staff members. The implications
of such decisions should also be considered. Some effects of decisions will be quite
obvious, while others may require some imagination and additional staff input to
finalise.
There are likely to be strict expectations regarding the amount of time that
can be assigned to the decision-making process. A staff member may also
be assigned ultimate authority for any decision that is made. All
relevant information should be gathered and reviewed with regards
to the different decisions. Such information will ideally be up-to-
date and entirely accurate. Different staff members may be
assigned responsibility for conducting research and investigating the various types of
information.
There should be some consideration of the various solutions that may be proposed by
different stakeholders. The solutions may be assigned ratings based upon their feasibility
and expected effectiveness. The pros and cons may be assigned ratings of between 1
and 10 based upon their relative levels of importance. The list may then be reviewed in
preparation for making the final decision. There should be some evaluation of this
decision and consideration of any changes that could be made for increased
effectiveness.
➢ The decision that has been made – the final decision should be
explained in clear and easily understandable terms
(Source
http://www.ombudsman.wa.gov.au/Publications/Documents/guidelines/Giving-
reasons-for-decisions.pdf)
➢ So that they realise that the decision wasn’t made arbitrarily or based on
irrelevant information
➢ So that they can establish whether they have been treated fairly.
To fully justify how the decision-making process has been undertaken, the issue must be
broken down and explained to stakeholders as thoroughly as possible. Offering
different perspectives on the issue can help stakeholders to appreciate why and how
the process came about.
➢ Date of decision
➢ The decision-maker
➢ Relevant legislation
(Source
http://www.ombudsman.wa.gov.au/Publications/Documents/guidelines/Giving-
reasons-for-decisions.pdf)
You will have to evidence that you have dismissed assumptions and considered
multiple perspectives. Providing you are confident in your thought process and can
demonstrate your thinking, you’ll have a good chance of winning support and being
able to introduce your ideas to working practice.
3.2. Seek feedback from relevant stakeholders on use of critical thinking from
stakeholders
3.4. Develop plan for future process evaluations and incorporate improvements
identified
Feedback from customers is equally as important. You can send out digital surveys and
ask customers questions about the effects of any changes that have been made to
your business services. It is quite likely that you will receive negative feedback about
the impacts of decisions. Such feedback should be taken into serious consideration as
this can be a real opportunity to improve processes throughout the organisation.
➢ Has the decision been accepted and embraced by all those affected?
➢ Have there been any unexpected direct and indirect effects? How
serious have these been?
A specific agenda should be set for the feedback meeting. This will mean focussing on
a few aspects of the decision-making process that you are particularly keen to address.
The feedback process should be as simple and straightforward as possible. You should
ask clear and direct questions which will prompt the organisational management to
provide the type of feedback that you are interested in.
You are advised to take notes during the feedback session which you will be able to
refer back to at an appropriate time. This should ensure that none of the key points is
forgotten. You may also email stakeholders to detail the actions that you agree to take
in response to their feedback. This should provide them with the opportunity to consider
and make recommendations regarding additional actions that should be taken.
It is advisable to prepare in advance for such questions. It is expected that you will
provide relevant details and justification for taking particular decisions. At this point, you
need to be confident in delivering your ideas to stakeholders clearly and logically. If
you have applied critical thinking to the process, you will find it much easier to justify
your decisions.
You should focus on those areas of knowledge and skills that are necessary for the best
possible performance in your role. Discussions during supervisions may focus upon the
skills and knowledge that you already possess. It might be that you perform aspects of
the role quite effectively. However, the need for further development may still be
identified for other aspects.
The final step should be to establish your personal development needs. This should
involve focussing upon the differences between what is required/expected in the role
and the skills/knowledge that you are demonstrating. Any significant differences should
be addressed as matters of priority.
➢ Improvement of self-knowledge
You must strive for self-development within your role. Ask yourself if you always try to
think outside the box; could there be missing elements to your work practice that would
enable you to perform better or achieve positive outcomes more effectively.
Challenge how flexible are you when applying problem-solving techniques and how
can you adapt your work methods to strengthen your abilities within your role. Critically
analysing your own performance is just as important as applying critical thinking to
situations within the workplace.
Process evaluations may be used for reviewing the benefits of applying critical thinking
principles during business-based decision making. Such evaluations should allow you to
establish whether the processes have been implemented according to expectations
and whether they lead to positive outcomes. You should be able to identify the need
for any changes to achieve improved outcomes.
Such evaluations should commence whenever decisions are implemented. They should
focus on the level of success with regards to associated objectives. There should also
be some consideration of whether the process is being implemented as expected. The
evaluations should alert you to the existence of any problems which will need
to be addressed.
This includes:
➢ Skills Activity
➢ Knowledge Activity
➢ Performance Activity
➢ Assignments to complete
This holistically assesses your understanding and application of the skills, knowledge and
performance requirements for this unit. Once this is completed, you will have finished
this unit and be ready to move onto the next one – well done!
These suggested references are for further reading and do not necessarily represent the
contents of this unit.
Websites
• Cleversim: www.cleverism.com
• Government Ombudsman:
http://www.ombudsman.wa.gov.au/Publications/Documents/guidelines/Giving-
reasons-for-decisions.pdf
• Wiki-how - https://www.wikihow.com/Improve-Critical-Thinking-Skills
• This tool will help improve your critical thinking - Erick Wilberding -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNDYUlxNIAA
• Critical Thinking Skills: A Process for Better Problem Solving and Decision Making -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVwTVM1Iv1c