PM Primer: Cognitive Ability and Decisiveness

Course Description

This online course focuses on those critical thinking, decision-making, and cognitive skills vital to effective project management. To be effective, project practitioners need to do more than just apply tools and techniques. They need to think critically about their projects and make good decisions that will put themselves—and their teammates—in positions to succeed. Mastering these "softer" skills will allow team members and key project contributors to diagnose problems and situations in ways that will benefit the project, which will then propel them toward more successful outcomes. As they apply effective cognitive ability and decision-making skills, participants will make efficient choices that will help in dealing with uncertainties, and align work with expectations to lead the group to a successful result.

Learning Outcomes

After completing this course, the learner should be able to:

• Explain how critical thinking can be used to enhance decision making
• Describe the steps that teams and individuals use to make effective decisions
• Employ the Davenport-Kim three-stage model of decision making
• Recognize the role that uncertainty and risk play in the decision-making process
• Discuss how the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator helps in understanding decision-making approaches