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Part 1: Identifying and Defining Problems
Objectives
• Understand problem solving
• Analyze problems
• Work with problem owners and
stakeholders
• Develop effective problem statements
Objectives
• Determine causes
• Simplify complex problems
• Identify and manage risks
• Avoid problem-solving traps
Understanding Problem Solving
• A professional in any occupation
should be a problem solver
• People who can identify, define, and
solve problems are valued members
of an organization
Understanding Problem Solving
• Guidelines for solving problems:
• Identify yourself as a problem solver
• Recognize problems
• Select an intuitive approach for solving
problems
• Select a systematic approach for solving
problems
• Make decisions
Understanding Problem Solving
Basic problem-solving steps
Analyzing Problems
• Companies rely on employees to
identify problems and solve them
• Much of the effort in problem solving
involves understanding what the
underlying issues really are
• Defining the real problem is the first
major milestone on the way to a
solution
Analyzing Problems
• Do’s and Don’ts for analyzing
problems:
• Look for deficiencies
• Interview and gather data
• Observe as much as you can
• Ask what, not who
• Have a reality check
Working with Problem Owners
and Stakeholders
• When you solve a problem for
someone else, that person is the
problem owner
• Stakeholders are people who are also
affected or whose involvement you
need to resolve the matter
Working with Problem Owners
and Stakeholders
• Do’s and Don’ts for working with
problem owners and stakeholders:
• Solicit input from the problem owners
• Recognize opinions and assumptions
• Communicate your progress clearly
• Do your homework carefully
• Provide choices
• Promote your solution
Developing Effective Problem
Statements
• A problem statement is a clear,
concise description of the problem
and the effect you expect from the
solution
• The purpose of the problem
statement is to describe a single
problem objectively
• Include the problem statement in your
proposals, progress reports, and
discussions with stakeholders
Developing Effective Problem
Statements
• Guidelines for developing problem
statements:
• Describe the ideal situation
• Briefly summarize the problem
• Identify symptoms of the problem
• Describe the size and scope of the
problem
• Identify the consequences
• Explain any other research or
investigation that you may pursue
Determining Causes
• It is common to overlook the root cause
of problems and focus only on
symptoms
• Complex situations usually involve
interrelated problems, each with a
different cause
• To link a problem to its cause, you must
perform a root-cause analysis, a study
that determines the real basis for the
problem
Determining Causes
• To determine causes:
• Differentiate between symptoms and
causes
• Look for more than one cause
• Consider the cost
• Use the 5 Whys technique
• Create a cause-and-effect diagram
Determining Causes
Cause-and-effect diagram
Simplifying Complex Problems
• Complex problems have no clear
boundaries, are unique, and have no
single optimal solution
• Complex problems frequently involve
multiple stakeholders with competing
agendas
• Most complex problems consist of
smaller subproblems that affect each
other in ways that complicate the
larger problems
Simplifying Complex Problems
• To simplify complex problems:
• Identify the major symptoms
• Consider each problem individually
• Rank the subproblems
• Look for interdependencies
• Delegate subproblems
Identifying and Managing Risks
• Any decision you make or solution
you implement involves some risk,
which is an exposure to a chance of
loss or damage
• Risk is an inevitable part of business,
especially when you are introducing
creative changes
• With careful planning, you can often
avoid many of these risks or reduce
their drawbacks
Identifying and Managing Risks
• Guidelines for identifying and
managing risks:
• Be aware of potential risks
• Assess your risk/reward ratio
• Reduce your risk by testing
• Develop a fall-back position or a backup
plan
• Keep everyone informed
Avoiding Problem-Solving Traps
• Solving problems demands the
following:
• Logical thinking
• Creative thinking
• Willingness to redefine goals
• Acceptance of solutions that manage
rather than eliminate problems
• Habits and unacknowledged biases
impair problem solvers’ ability to solve
problems
Avoiding Problem-Solving Traps
• To avoid problem-solving traps:
• Avoid the positive outcome bias
• Avoid “not invented here”
• Avoid the need for quick closure
• Avoid the bandwagon effect
• Avoid self-serving bias
Avoiding Problem-Solving Traps
Avoid the bandwagon, or herd, effect
Technology @ Work:
Crowdsourcing
• Crowdsourcing characterizes a way of
using groups to solve problems
• The groups are usually online
communities
• An organization broadcasts a problem
to the crowd as an open call for
solutions
• The crowd submits solutions, then
sorts through them, finding the best
ones
Technology @ Work:
Crowdsourcing
• Advantages of crowdsourcing to a
company are that it can investigate
problems at low cost and produce
innovative solutions from a wider
range of amateurs and experts than it
employs
• Risks to the company are that it might
waste time looking for a solution from
the crowd, who is not committed to
helping the company
Technology@ Work:
Crowdsourcing
• Successful examples of
crowdsourcing include proofreading
StumbleUpon and Stardust@home
• Guidelines for crowdsourcing:
• Strength in numbers
• Collaboration matters
• Different, not necessarily better
• Good for the company, not for the crowd
Technology @ Work:
Crowdsourcing
Challenge.gov
Summary
• Keep problem solving guidelines in
mind
• Analyze problems as the first step in
solving them
• Involve problem owners and
stakeholders in the problem solving
process
• Develop effective problem statements
Summary
• To link a problem to its cause,
perform root-cause analysis
• Simplify complex problems as much
as possible
• Be aware of and manage risk when
implementing solutions
• Avoid problem-solving traps
Part 2: Solving the Problem
Objectives
Gather and analyze data
Develop alternatives
Evaluate options
Implement the solution
Objectives
Monitor and manage the solution
Verify the solution
Use adaptive techniques
Develop ethical solutions
Gathering and Analyzing Data
Before you can solve a business
problem, you should gather relevant
data and analyze it
Successful business decisions are
based on sound information
To systematically gather and analyze
the data related to your problem, start
by identifying your goal and looking
for information related to it
Gathering and Analyzing Data
Guidelines for gathering data:
Define your data needs
Do not overestimate what you know
about the problem
Document the data and its sources
Examine existing information first
Rely on people as your most important
resource
Consider interrelationships
Gathering and Analyzing Data
Viewing data in different ways
Developing Alternatives
After researching a problem and
collecting data, start to consider
alternatives and solutions
This creative phase of the process
requires imagination and intuition
Developing Alternatives
Guidelines for developing
alternatives:
Think creatively
Brainstorm ideas
Ask others for advice
Develop a mind map
Analyzing Problems
Brainstorming
Analyzing Problems
Mind Map
Evaluating Options
Analyze the trade-offs among
competing needs and options
Your goal should be to develop a
good solution by evaluating,
modifying, and improving on your
ideas
Asses each alternative carefully
Use objective criteria to avoid making
snap decisions
Evaluating Options
Steps in evaluation options:
Choose an evaluation method
Select the criteria
Weigh your criteria
Rate the alternatives
Make a decision
Implementing the Solution
Moving from planning to
implementation is a significant
milestone
During implementation, you begin to
make decisions, take actions, and put
your plans into practice
Communicate clearly and frequently
during this stage
Act decisively rather than planning
endlessly
Implementing the Solution
Guidelines for implementing a
solution:
Get approval from the problem owner
Develop a plan
Notify stakeholders
Anticipate opposition
Take action
Monitoring and Managing the
Solution
Most solutions involve related
choices, tasks, and the participation
of others
Managers, coworkers, and
stakeholders expect you to deal
professionally and competently with
interruptions, delays, and unexpected
events
Planning for and identifying trouble
quickly helps you minimize disruption
and problems
Monitoring and Managing the
Solution
Guidelines for monitoring and
managing the solution:
Identify key variables
Select an appropriate level of monitoring
Involve others with the process
Be persistent
Make corrections promptly
Monitoring and Managing the
Solution
Levels of monitoring
Verifying the Solution
Expect surprises during
implementation
Stay involved with the project and
make necessary corrections along the
way
Ask yourself and others:
How well is the solution working
How realistic are the objectives
What is not working as expected
Verifying the Solution
Do’s and Don’ts of verifying a
solution:
Define success
Test your solution
Avoid the problem in the future
Learn from the process
Take credit for your success
Using Adaptive Techniques
Adaptive techniques involve a
combination of intuition, logic, and
common sense
Adaptive techniques are less precise
than traditional problem-solving
methods, but are appropriate in many
cases
Using Adaptive Techniques
Do’s and Don’ts for adaptive
techniques:
Consider when to use adaptive
techniques
Manage by exception
Stagger your decisions
Hedge your bets
Delay or defer a solution
Using Adaptive Techniques
Appropriate times to use adaptive
techniques:
You have a limited amount of time to
work
An exhaustive analysis is not needed
The risks are minimal and downside
costs are low
The solution is easily reversible
Developing Ethical Solutions
Ethics are standards of behavior that
direct how people should act
Ethics involves making moral decisions
and choosing between right and wrong
When applied to problem solving, ethical
behavior leads to appropriate decisions,
not necessarily the optimal ones
Consider situations from an ethical, as
well as a practical, perspective
Developing Ethical Solutions
Guidelines for developing ethical
solutions:
Identify ethical issues
Compare costs and benefits
Consider other people
Serve broad interests
Be true to yourself
Technology @ Work: Mashups
A mashup is a Web application that
combines features or information from
more than one source
Businesses are using mashups to
develop views of information that aid
in decision making
Business mashups typically combine
data from internal and public sources,
and publish the results within the
company for employees to use
Technology @ Work: Mashups
Masher, an online tool for creating
mashups
Summary
Gather relevant data and analyze it to
find trends, indicators, and other related
information
Develop alternative solutions
Evaluate all options
Implementation is a milestone step in
the problem solving process
Carefully monitor and manage the
implemented solution
Summary
Verify the solution and expect surprises
Use adaptive techniques when
appropriate
Consider ethics as you develop
solutions
Part 3: Thinking Critically
Objectives
Understand critical thinking
Identify arguments
Assess the credibility of an argument
Explore weaknesses in an argument
Objectives
Overcome obstacles to critical
thinking
Avoid deductive reasoning fallacies
Avoid inductive reasoning fallacies
Become a critical thinker
Understanding Critical Thinking
Critical thinking requires analysis,
evaluation, discipline, and rigor
The goal of critical thinking is often to
improve choices and reduce the risk
of adopting or acting on a flawed
assumption
Understanding Critical Thinking
Ask the following questions to
improve your critical thinking:
What is critical thinking?
What is a claim?
What is an issue?
What is an argument?
What is the difference between facts
and opinions?
Understanding Critical Thinking
Steps in critical thinking
Understanding Critical Thinking
Facts and opinions
Identifying Arguments
To organize your ideas when thinking
critically, you identify, construct, and
evaluate arguments, which are
statements or explanations that
support your ideas
Your premise is what you claim or
content
The other element of an argument is
the conclusion
Identifying Arguments
Do’s and Don’ts for identifying
arguments:
Identify the arguments
Look for argument indicators
Differentiate between an argument and
an assertion
Recognize deductive arguments
Recognized inductive arguments
Assessing the Credibility of an
Argument
Assess arguments to determine how
credible they are
You determine whether an argument
is plausible, authentic, or convincing
by evaluating the validity and strength
of the supporting evidence
Assessing the Credibility of an
Argument
Steps in assessing the credibility of
an argument:
Consider the validity of the argument
Make sure the argument is sound
Assess the credibility of the source
Consider reasons based on authority
Compare the argument to your
background knowledge
Exploring Weaknesses in an
Argument
All arguments have some
weaknesses
Avoid taking an all-or-nothing
approach to arguments
Assess each argument according to
its strengths and weaknesses
Exploring Weaknesses in an
Argument
Do’s and Don’ts for exploring
weaknesses in an argument:
Consider how to test the claims and
premises
Evaluation the relevance
Look for dubious assumptions
Compare the argument to other data,
observations, and ideas
Identify alternative explanations
Overcoming Obstacles to Critical
Thinking
Learn to recognize typical obstacles
to critical thinking so you can
anticipate and work through them
Being flexible, adaptable, and openminded when working with others
helps you avoid egocentric thinking
Overcoming Obstacles to Critical
Thinking
Do’s and Don’ts for overcoming
obstacles to critical thinking:
Avoid egocentric thinking
Be aware of your social conditioning
Identify outliers
Avoid normalization
Respect your emotions
Overcoming Obstacles to Critical
Thinking
Creative and critical thinking
Avoiding Deductive Reasoning
Fallacies
A fallacy is an invalid argument that is
presented so that it appears valid
Skilled communicators can make
flawed arguments sound reasonable
Critical thinkers should consider the
premises and conclusions with
special care
Deductive arguments can have flaws
that make the arguments invalid
Avoiding Deductive Reasoning
Fallacies
Guidelines for avoiding deductive
reasoning fallacies:
Avoid the slippery slope
Be aware of false dilemmas
Straighten out circular reasoning
Clear up equivocation
Avoiding Inductive Reasoning
Fallacies
The conclusions of an inductive
argument are only as good as the
quantity and quality of the premises
Inductive arguments are prone to
fallacies
The premises must contain sufficient
evidence, and the conclusion must fit
the facts
Avoiding Inductive Reasoning
Fallacies
Do’s and Don’ts for avoiding inductive
reasoning fallacies:
Avoid hasty generalizations
Separate cause and effect
Look for false causes
Consider the composition
Avoiding Inductive Reasoning
Fallacies
Hasty generalization
Becoming a Critical Thinker
Developing thinking and problemsolving skills is a gradual process that
requires conscious effort on your part
Changing thinking habits and
practices is a long-range project and
something you should commit to
throughout your life
Becoming a Critical Thinker
Do’s and Don’ts for becoming a
critical thinker:
Develop intellectual humility
Be a critic, not a cynic
Challenge your assumptions and beliefs
Work through complex issues and
problems
Have confidence in your reasoning
ability
Becoming a Critical Thinker
Critical thinking habits
Technology @ Work: Electronic
Books
An electronic book (e-book) is usually
a combination of a hardware device
you can hold in your hand and
software that allows you to read the
pages of a book
Some e-books are designed to be
used with mobile phones and smart
phones that can connect to the
Internet
Technology @ Work: Electronic
Books
The most popular dedicated platform
for e-books is the Amazon Kindle
Technology @ Work: Electronic
Books
Advantages and disadvantages of ebooks:
Enhance research and thinking
Provide a more engaging medium
Require electronic device and software
Change the reading experience
Summary
Critical thinking requires analysis,
evaluation, discipline, and rigor
To organize ideas when thinking
critically, you identify, construct, and
evaluate arguments
Assess arguments to determine how
credible they are
All arguments have weaknesses
Summary
You develop critical thinking as a skill
over time through practice and
repeated application
Deductive arguments can have flaws
that make the arguments invalid
The conclusions of an inductive
argument are only as good as the
quantity and quality of the premises
Developing thinking and problemsolving skills is a gradual process
Part 4: Group Decision Making and Problem Solving
Objectives
Understand group dynamics
Evolve from a group to a team
Use divergent thinking
Use convergent thinking
Objectives
Reach closure
Avoid common group traps
Work with large groups
Build sustainable agreements
Understanding Group Dynamics
You cannot accomplish complex
tasks alone
Organizations use groups and teams
to make decisions, solve problems,
and accomplish goals
A group is made up of two or more
people who interact with each other,
share expectations and obligations,
and develop a common identity as a
group
Understanding Group Dynamics
Real groups have social or
professional bonds and common
interests, values, or backgrounds
The way that people work and interact
with each other is known as group
dynamics
Understanding Group Dynamics
Organizations are embracing group
projects and teamwork for the
following reasons:
Diversity
Rich experience base
Enhanced organizational memory
Error detection
More creative solutions
Greater acceptance of decisions and
outcomes
Evolving from a Group to a Team
People often form themselves into
groups, but they may or may not work
well together
A group that is working well together
is functioning as a team
A team is a group of people who
organize themselves to work
cooperatively on a common objective
Most groups pass through stages of
cohesion and understanding before
they do useful work
Evolving from a Group to a Team
Guidelines for evolving from a group
to a team:
Expect socializing
Encourage organizing and forming
Facilitate information sharing and
processing
Collaborate to solve problems
Using Divergent Thinking
The collective knowledge of a group
is greater than that of a single person
Groups seldom behave creatively on
their own
The team leader or a facilitator needs
to engage the group in activities that
foster creativity and collaboration
Divergent thinking describes thought
processes or methods used to
generate ideas
Using Divergent Thinking
Divergent thinking techniques
generate many ideas that are often
not related to one another
Divergent thinking is usually
spontaneous, free flowing, and
unorganized
Using Divergent Thinking
Techniques for divergent thinking:
Brainstorming
Group mind mapping
Free writing
Journaling
Using Divergent Thinking
Group mind map
Using Convergent Thinking
Divergent thinking is used in the early
stages of problem solving
Convergent thinking techniques
narrow the options to a manageable
set
Using Convergent Thinking
Guidelines for using convergent
thinking:
Cull your ideas
Identify the pros and cons
Perform a cost-benefit analysis
Create an impact analysis
Use reverse brainstorming
Using Convergent Thinking
Impact analysis
Reaching Closure
Some groups are designed to be
ongoing concerns that move from one
issue to the next
Some groups address a particular
concern and are disbanded once the
problem is solved
It’s common for a group to artificially
prolong a process and not reach closure
as efficiently as it could
A team leader needs to provide direction
to help the group develop closure
Reaching Closure
Tips for reaching closure:
Use a command style
Use a consultative approach
Use consensus decision making
Select appropriate voting methods
Avoiding Common Group Traps
Some groups fall into traps that slow
progress and distract members from
the problem-solving objectives
The difficulties of participating in or
managing a group are different from
the challenges of solving problems on
your own
Avoiding Common Group Traps
Guidelines for avoiding common
group traps:
Organize the overhead
Watch out for stress
Avoid the Superman complex
Look out for groupthink
Working with Large Groups
Large groups and those with
members in more than one location
require extra time for planning,
organizing, and managing
As companies grow, merge, and
evolve, they use large and
geographically distributed groups
more often
Managing and/or participating in a
large group requires good
communication skills
Working with Large Groups
Guidelines for working with large
groups:
Manage the logistics
Expand communication channels
Build consensus
Meet online
Distribute documents and supporting
material electronically
Building Sustainable
Agreements
The final step a problem-solving
group performs is developing an
implementation plan, also called an
action plan
The action plan summarizes the
activities the group and other
members of the organization agree to
perform to make sure the project
succeeds
Building Sustainable
Agreements
Remember that action plans
represent change and people and
organizations tend to resist change
Involve members of the team and
others in the organization to build an
agreement that can be sustained as
the problem is solved
Building Sustainable
Agreements
Do’s and Don’ts for building
sustainable agreements:
Overcome fear
Communicate openly
Manage the pace
Avoid stressful times
Building Sustainable
Agreements
Overcoming resistance to change
Technology@Work: Online
Scheduling Tools
Online scheduling tools such as Doodle
and Google calendar can simplify the timeconsuming task of scheduling meetings
In most online scheduling tools, the
meeting organizer uses an online calendar
to select meeting times
The organizer uses e-mail to notify
everyone who needs or wants to attend the
meeting
Participants respond by selecting times
that are most convenient for them
Technology@Work: Online
Scheduling Tools
Scheduling an event in Doodle
Summary
The way people work and interact
with each other is called group
dynamics
A group that functions well is a team
Divergent thinking describes thought
processes and methods used to
generate ideas
Convergent thinking techniques
narrow the options to a manageable
set
Summary
A team needs a leader to help it reach
closure
There are common traps that groups
can fall into
Working with a large group can be
complicated
The final step in problem-solving is
building a sustainable agreement
Part 5: Decision Support Tools
Objectives
Understand decision support systems
Model decisions quantitatively
Describe data objectively
Work with formulas and functions
Objectives
Perform what-if analyses
Weigh factors
Create decision trees
Use graphics to display data
Understanding Decision Support
Systems
A decision support system (DSS) is
interactive software designed to help
you compile useful information from
raw data, documents, and business
knowledge
A DSS is ideal for analyzing complex
problems that involve sets of data and
demand a systematic decisionmaking approach
Understanding Decision Support
Systems
Decision support tools offer the
following benefits for decision makers:
Add objectivity to making decisions
Improve efficiency for complex decisions
Encourage exploration and discovery
Provide support for particular decisions
Help communicate decisions to other
interested people
Modeling Decisions
Quantitatively
Once you’ve gathered all the data
related to the problem, you can model
your decisions quantitatively
Modeling decisions quantitatively
means you represent the decision
and its factors using numbers
Modeling decisions can help you see
patterns in data, make objective
choices, and provide substantiation
for decisions
Modeling Decisions
Quantitatively
Guidelines for modeling decisions
quantitatively:
Assign numeric values to your data
Compare apples to apples
Rate subjective variables
Use a decision model
Modeling Decisions
Quantitatively
Decision model
Describing Data Objectively
Most people can visualize images,
concepts, and trends more easily than
large sets of numbers
When presenting data to support a
decision, provide the audience with
an objective description of the data
You can use statistics to explain and
compare the characteristics of data
Describing Data Objectively
Terms to describe data:
Arithmetic mean: the average value of a
set of data
Median: the point that separates the
higher values from the lower values
Mode: the value that occurs most
frequently
Standard deviation: a measure of the
variability of a set of data
Working with Formulas and
Functions
You can use mathematics to help you
analyze and compare data
Mathematicians use formulas to
manipulate numeric and symbolic
data
A formula typically defines a
calculation that you perform on one or
more variables
Working with Formulas and
Functions
Formulas can help identify the best
choices and solutions
To model quantitative decisions, you
can use an electronic spreadsheet,
which supports a wide variety of
formulas and functions
Working with Formulas and
Functions
Guidelines for working with formulas
and functions:
Format your formulas
Use cell references
Double-check your mathematical
operators and order
Simplify with functions
Performing What-If Analyses
A what-if analysis allows you to study
how changing one or more values
affects the results
What-if analyses allow you to test
scenarios or possibilities to make a
decision
Performing What-If Analyses
Guidelines for performing what-if
analyses:
Identify decision variables
Identify the constants
Identify output variables
Test several scenarios
Assess your results using common
sense
Performing What-If Analyses
What-if analysis with two scenarios
Weighing Factors
Sometimes more than one variable
can affect results in a decision model
You can assign weights to variables
Weighing Factors
Guidelines for weighing factors
Identify the most important decision
variables
Determine the appropriate weights
Normalize variables
Consider the runners-up
Creating Decision Trees
A decision tree is a support tool that
models decisions using a treelike
diagram
Each branch of the tree represents an
option and its benefits, cost, and
likelihood
Organizations use decision trees to
identify the strategy or choice that will
lead them to a desired goal
Decision trees create a simple
summary of a complex decision
Creating Decision Trees
Guidelines for creating a decision
tree:
Start with your primary decision
Identify your options
Consider the results
Assign values and probabilities
Calculate the value for each option
Creating Decision Trees
Decision tree
Using Graphics to Display Data
By representing data, decision, and
solutions graphically you can see
trends, relationships, and results that
are hard to detect in a list of numbers
Drawings, charts, and other
illustrations help make your case
clearer and easier for others to
understand
Software such as spreadsheets and
presentation graphics programs
provide tools to help you visualize and
display data
Using Graphics to Display Data
Popular types of graphics that display
data:
Bar charts
Line charts
Area charts
Pie charts
Scatter plots
Using Graphics to Display Data
Types of charts
Technology@Work:
Spreadsheet Tools
You can use spreadsheet software to
create and format numeric data and
calculations, such as for budgets,
commission calculators, schedules,
and income statements
Types of spreadsheet software:
Microsoft Excel
OpenOffice Calc
Google Spreadsheet
Gnumeric
Apple Numbers
Technology@Work:
Spreadsheet Tools
You can use spreadsheets to track
numeric information, perform
calculations, perform what-if
analyses, and create charts
Spreadsheets are especially helpful
when recording and analyzing
financial information
Technology@Work:
Spreadsheet Tools
Microsoft Excel
Technology@Work:
Spreadsheet Tools
Google Spreadsheets
Summary
A decision support system is
interactive software designed to help
you compile useful information to
make decisions
Modeling decisions quantitatively
means you represent a decision and
its factors using numbers
It’s important to provide an objective
description of data
Summary
You can use formulas and functions to
model a decision
A what-if analysis allows you to study
how changing one or more values
affects the results
You can assign weights to variables to
help in decision making
A decision tree models decisions using
a treelike diagram
Graphics can help make data more
accessible
ILLUSTRATED COURSE GUIDES
Problem Solving
and Decision Making
Soft Skills for a
Digital Workplace
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ILLUSTRATED COURSE GUIDES
Problem Solving
and Decision Making
Jeff Butterfield
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Soft Skills for a
Digital Workplace
Illustrated Course Guide: Problem Solving and Decision Making—
Soft Skills for a Digital Workplace
Jeff Butterfield
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About the Series
Students work hard to earn certificates and degrees to prepare for a particular career—but do they have the soft skills necessary to succeed in today’s digital workplace? Can they communicate effectively? Present themselves professionally? Work in a
team? Industry leaders agree there is a growing need for these essential soft skills; in fact, they are critical to a student’s success
in the workplace. Without them, they will struggle and even fail. However, students entering the workforce who can demonstrate strong soft skills have a huge competitive advantage.
The Illustrated Course Guides—Soft Skills for
