ITEC-1016-01 Final
The influential technology blog, TechCrunch, reports that Amazon offers nearly ____ e-book titles.
1,00,000
____ calendars and schedulers help large groups quickly identify suitable meeting times.
Electronic
If the group's solution might be threatening to a decision maker, do not invite that person to a team meeting as they will bring down the morale of the group.
False
If your team is suffering from groupthink, invite a team member from within the group to play the devil's advocate.
False
In the context of critical thinking, a(n) assumption is a set of one or more claims that support a particular conclusion. _________________________
False
In the early stages of solving a problem, you use convergent thinking to develop as many creative ideas and potential solutions as possible.
False
Inertia means acting on a problem, when you are very familiar with it.
False
Managers can view mashups called controls, windows that graphically summarize information about how a business is operating. _________________________
False
On a decision tree, triangles indicate that a choice must be made.
False
Open-science Problem-Solving is a form of outsourcing.
False
Researchers have discovered that we can understand how we think even without understanding how we feel.
False
Solution criteria are the variables that drive your decisions. _________________________
False
Take action and remember that in most cases, it is better to hold out for a perfect solution later, rather than to implement a good solution now.
False
The consensus approach is the most efficient way to reach closure as there is only one decision maker.
False
The mean of a set of data is the value that occurs most frequently. _________________________
False
The mode is the most common descriptive statistic and is simple to compute.
False
The purpose of a problem statement is to find the problem cause and to define the solution.
False
The two main types of mashups are consumer and business, and the two types do not overlap.
False
Typically, the necessary amount of management and control increases over time. _________________________
False
Use hardware tools such as spreadsheets, databases, and diagramming programs for flowcharts to help you see how one set of data relates to another. _________________________
False
Using a popular management approach, many managers assign tasks to staff members according to their skills, personalities, and experience. This style of leadership is called a complex style. _________________________
False
Variables are elements that are not likely to change much over time. _________________________
False
When developing a problem statement, describe subjective symptoms of the problem that others can observe. _________________________
False
When electronic spreadsheets were first developed, one of the early applications for the technology was performing what-else analyses. _________________________
False
When solving a problem, it is fine to use an impact analysis alone to make a final decision between alternatives.
False
When you solve a problem systematically, you react immediately and instinctively, without following a particular procedure. _________________________
False
You can model your decisions quantitatively, which means you represent the decision and its factors using letters. _________________________
False
A DSS is ideal for analyzing complex problems that involve sets of data and demand a systematic decision-making approach. _________________________
True
A botnet refers to a collection of software robots, or bots, that run independently on computers without revealing themselves to the owner. _________________________
True
A cause is the reason for or the origin (root) of a change, such as customers being unable to afford travel vacations.
True
A cell reference is a pointer that you include in a formula to tell the spreadsheet where to find the actual data. _________________________
True
A decision tree is a support tool that models decisions using a treelike diagram. _________________________
True
A fact is a claim that is considered to be true. _________________________
True
A problem is the difference between the current state and where you want to be.
True
A team is a group of people who organize themselves to work cooperatively on a common objective. _________________________
True
Although the word critical can mean to find fault or to criticize, critical thinking is not a negative activity.
True
An opinion is a claim that someone believes is true. _________________________
True
Any decision you make or solution you implement involves some risk, which is an exposure to a chance of loss or damage. _________________________
True
Argument values are always contained inside parentheses.
True
As a group grows larger, you might find you do not have enough air time, which is the amount of time available for someone to speak to the group. _________________________
True
Brainstorming is a powerful creativity tool you can use to generate ideas and alternatives. _________________________
True
Compare claims to your own background knowledge, which is the collection of beliefs, facts, experiences, and observations you have amassed during your life. _________________________
True
Decision variables are often used in formulas that show results.
True
Decisions are choices you make when faced with a set of options or alternatives. _________________________
True
Ethics are standards of behavior that direct how people should act. _________________________
True
Ethics involves making moral decisions and choosing between right and wrong.
True
If an argument is valid and the premises are true, the conclusion must be true. _________________________
True
If files contain confidential contents, find out how to require a user name and password before people can access the material.
True
If you cannot test an assertion, you cannot know whether it is valid.
True
In Google Calendar, you can set up a calendar for a conference room so you can reserve a meeting space.
True
Like automobile dashboards, business dashboards display current information about an organization's performance.
True
Logistics refers to how resources such as information and people are provided where they are needed. _________________________
True
Malcolm Gladwell coined the term "thin-slicing," which is the ability to sense what is important from a very narrow period of experience. _________________________
True
People who have worked for a company for some time develop an organizational memory as they learn about the various processes, personalities, and subtleties of how the organization operates. _________________________
True
Remember that because no argument is perfect, all arguments have some weaknesses.
True
Social conditioning encourages you to accept the beliefs, traditions, and values of your social group. _________________________
True
Some speakers signal their opinions by saying, "I think," or "The way I see it."
True
Stakeholders are people who are also affected or whose involvement you need to resolve the matter. _________________________
True
Standard deviation is a measure of the variability of a set of data. _________________________
True
Testing a solution involves trying it on a small or limited basis.
True
The opinions and assumptions that your problem owner, stakeholders, and other important people hold are important factors in the success of your solution.
True
Until the solution takes effect, your decision is little more than a good intention.
True
____ is a form of brainstorming where group members focus on a subject and then write about it nonstop for a short period of time.
Free writing
Use an impact analysis to broaden your view. Have the group list the consequences of each idea. Who or what would each option affect? Would the consequences be minimal or manageable? Which idea would cause the least amount of loss or harm? _________________________
True
When gathering information, focus on objective facts. Ask "what?" not "who?" _________________________
True
When outside participants are visiting your team meeting, conduct a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threat (SWOT) exercise to make sure the group's success is not blinding members to potential problems.
True
When problem solving, take advantage of the collective wisdom of your colleagues, which is the shared knowledge and experience a group of people can apply to a problem. _________________________
True
When working in a company with a strong set of cultural norms, it is easy to adopt popular opinions and follow the expectations of others, which is called the bandwagon effect. _________________________
True
When you are making a decision, a DSS helps you evaluate all parts of the decision objectively.
True
When you define a problem, you should be open-minded and flexible as you explore, research, and communicate with others.
True
To make numeric data useful, organize it in a(n) ____________________, which is one or more formulas that includes all of the relevant variables and calculates a result.
decision model
A ____________________ (DSS) is interactive software designed to help you compile useful information from raw data, documents, and business knowledge.
decision support system
In some settings, a group may examine an issue and develop ideas for it, but the final decisions are left up to a single person. This is sometimes called a "____ approach" to decision making.
dictator
Breaking down a large, complex problem into smaller, solvable problems is called ____.
divide and conquer
The way that people work and interact with each other is known as group ____________________.
dynamics
The Amazon Kindle is a platform for ____.
e-books
Being ____ means seeing the world from your own point of view, assuming you are the norm or center.
egocentric
Bar charts are oriented ____.
either a. or b.
When normalizing, you usually ____ the data by a variable so you can compare the variables fairly.
either a. or b.
Using ambiguous or vague words in an argument is known as ____, and may or may not be intentional.
equivocation
When applied to problem solving, ____ behavior leads to appropriate decisions, not necessarily the optimal ones.
ethical
If you can collect data about and analyze a claim, it is said to be a ____ matter.
factual
Survey designers recommend ____ scales as the most accurate; fewer points don't offer enough options, and more points creates confusion.
five-point
A(n) ____ typically defines a calculation that you perform on one or more variables.
formula
Helen is using graphics to show how sales have increased in her online pet supply store. Please answer the questions below. Helen has researched some software and found one that completes 3D scatter plots. It turns out that most software tools can display 3D scatter plots with up to ____ dimensions.
four
A(n) ____________________ is made up of two or more people who interact with each other, share expectations and obligations, and develop a common identity.
group
When individual creativity and independent thinking are lost to group cohesiveness, the condition is known as ____________________
groupthink
Dalton is studying how to become a critical thinker. Please answer the questions below. To be an effective critical thinker, Dalton needs to develop intellectual ____ which is defined as recognizing the limits of your knowledge and understanding of a situation.
humility
When creating a problem statement, frame the problem for your audience by starting with a brief description of the ____.
ideal situation
Decision variables are values that could change and affect the results. Statisticians refer to these as ____ variables.
independent
People usually solve problems in one of two ways: ____________________ or systematically.
intuitively
When you solve a problem ____, you react immediately and instinctively, without following a particular procedure.
intuitively
In general terms, a(n) ____________________ is any controversial subject that you discuss, dispute, or review.
issue
To show directions or trends in a linear data series over time you would use the ____ chart.
line
Helen is using graphics to show how sales have increased in her online pet supply store. Please answer the questions below. The first chart that Helen is putting together shows the sales growth of organic dog food over time. What type of chart would you recommend that Helen uses?
line chart
The term information ____ describes the ability to recognize, analyze, and judge the quality of information.
literacy
Kevin is in charge of a new association at his college. He is researching voting methods. Please answer the questions below. The first vote that Kevin plans to present to the association is between two choices and wants the choice with the most votes to rule. He would use ____.
majority rules
A(n) ____________________ is a Web application that combines features or information from more than one source.
mashup
Online tools such as Masher and Kofax Technologies let you create ____ online.
mashups
The ____ is calculated by ordering all of your data from lowest value to highest value and selecting the middle one.
median
The ____________________ value of a set of data is that point that separates the higher values from the lower values.
median
When using ____, a group member lists a main idea or problem at the center of a page, white board, or flip chart. Each participant is invited to share reactions and ideas. These are drawn as radial lines or spokes.
mind maps
Although means are affected by extremely large or small values in the data set, ____ are not.
modes
Past experiences with other people, places, and situations that are extremely good or bad are ____. They can bias your expectations in the future.
outliers
The ____________________ are values in the results that could change if the decision variables change.
output variables
Helen is using graphics to show how sales have increased in her online pet supply store. Please answer the questions below. The second chart Helen is preparing is one that shows organic dog food as a percentage of total dog food sold in January. What type of chart should Helen use?
pie
If you wanted to compare the percentage of an element to the whole, you would use the ____ chart.
pie
Kevin is in charge of a new association at his college. He is researching voting methods. Please answer the questions below. Strengthen a(n) ____ vote by using several rounds. Eliminate options with the least support and vote again.
plurality
With Doodle, each person responds to the best time for the event by using a(n) ____.
poll
When thinking critically, at least one statement that supports your idea is your ____ what you claim or contend.
premise
Words such as because, since, assuming that, for, as, and similar expressions suggest that the speaker is stating a(n) ____________________.
premise
Darcy, an outside consultant, has agreed to solve the problem of low student test scores for a neighborhood school. Please answer the questions below. When presenting a final solution, Darcy should ____.
present many solutions, indicating which one she recommends
In an organization, a(n) ____________________ is an obstacle that stands in the way of achieving a desired goal.
problem
When you solve a problem for someone else, you assume the responsibility for developing a satisfactory solution for them, the ____________________.
problem owners
Variations on ____ include dilemmas, paradoxes, and difficulties, such as trouble performing tasks.
problems
When modeling a decision using ____ data, you can use mathematics to help you analyze and compare the data.
quantitative
Kevin is in charge of a new association at his college. He is researching voting methods. Please answer the questions below. To start, Kevin finds out about ____ which is a method where members assign scores to multiple options rather than voting for a single choice.
range voting
To link a problem to its cause, you must perform a ____________________ analysis, a study that determines the real basis for the problem.
root-cause
Instead of trying to find the one best solution, your goal should be to develop a good solution by doing all of these EXCEPT ____.
ruminating on your ideas
A(n) ____approach tests ideas and arguments to verify their correctness.
scientific
The statement, "Even our most popular European tours show no increase in enrollment, despite heavy promotion" is an example of the ____ part of a problem statement.
size and scope
On a decision tree, ____ represent decisions.
squares
A problem ____ is a clear, concise description of the problem and the effect you expect from the solution.
statement
When you are ____, you solve a problem in a methodical and organized manner.
systematic
Consensus decision making seeks a solution that most of the group can agree to while trying to resolve any concerns or objections of ____.
the minority
Malcolm Gladwell claims that spontaneous decisions can be better than those explored with scientific analysis and precision. He attributes this ability to an unconscious technique he calls "____": the ability to sense what is important from a very narrow period of experience.
thin-slicing
Experts are usually right, so you don't need to evaluate their arguments as you do arguments from others.
False
If a group develops a collective sense of invulnerability, it has a Dictator complex. _________________________
False
Please define the term "claim?" Can you measure the amount of truth in a claim? What is an example of a claim?
A claim is a statement that someone says or writes about a topic. The claim can be true or false. You can measure the amount of truth in a claim. An example of a claim would be that a co-worker claims the ice cream is on sale, you can refer to the sales sheet to determine if that claim is true.
A bar chart uses rectangular bars to display data values. The statement below that is true is: ____.
A longer bar means a greater value
What are adaptive techniques and when are they used?
Adaptive techniques consist of logic, intuition, and common sense. They are used instead of gathering data, analyzing it, and exploring alternatives systematically.
____ are popular alternatives to face-to-face communication.
All of the above
The level of monitoring, follow-up, and control varies by problem. Please briefly describe the three levels of monitoring covered in the chapter: close monitoring, regular monitoring, and occasional monitoring.
Close monitoring - Monitor your solution frequently, such as hourly or daily. Regular monitoring - Regularly check the status of your solution according to to a schedule. Occasional monitoring - Occasionally measure the status of your solution to look for unexpected problems.
Even if a claim is not relevant to the conclusion, you must consider the value of the argument.
False
____________________ is a powerful creativity tool you can use to generate ideas and alternatives.
Brainstorming
Briefly describe these two forms of divergent thinking: brainstorming and group mind mapping.
Brainstorming - When you consider a question, then generate as many ideas as possible usually in a short amount of time which you then record. Mind mapping - Uses simple graphics to generate, visualize, and organize creative ideas. A group member lists a main idea or problem at the center of a page, white board, or flip chart. Each member is invited to share reactions and ideas.
When reaching a final decision, what is the difference between a command style and a consultative approach?
Command style is whenever the final decisions are left up to a single person. It's the most efficient way to reach closure as there is only one decision maker. It is often unpopular with the other participants and leads to them being less committed to the outcome and may harbor negative feelings about the process. Consultative approach is similar to command style in that a leader still makes the final decisions. However, the process is more democratic because the leader actively seeks input and advice from the group before making the decision.
____ decision making seeks a solution that most of the group can agree to while trying to resolve any concerns or objections that the minority has.
Consensus
____ thinking techniques narrow the options to a manageable sets. The decisions and solutions that the group eventually makes will be based on these organized ideas.
Convergent
____________________ thinking techniques narrow the options to a manageable sets.
Convergent
Thought and thinking include reasoning, remembering, imagining, and reflecting, for example. ____________________ thinking generally requires more analysis, evaluation, discipline, and rigor.
Critical
Sometimes called a sensitivity analysis, a what-if analysis allows you to study how changing one or more values affects the results. Please briefly describe the following terms related to performing a what-if analysis: decision variables, constants, and output variables.
Decision variables - values that could change and affect the results. Constants - elements that are not likely to change much over time. Output variables - values in the results that could change if the decision variables change.
____________________ are choices you make when faced with a set of options or alternatives.
Decisions
____________________ reasoning typically takes an argument from general observations or premises to a specific conclusion.
Deductive
____________________ criteria are the variables that drive your decisions.
Evaluation
A cause is evidence of a change, such as a decrease in revenue. _________________________
False
A crowd-serving bias is anything that leads you to see the data as you most want it to appear. _________________________
False
A death flaw is some aspect of an idea that would make it unacceptable. _________________________
False
A decision cost sheet is a formal way of organizing an idea's costs and benefits. _________________________
False
A fishbone diagram is good for brainstorming, but does not show cause-and-effect.
False
A popular approach used to uncover and define problems is called 5 Whats. _________________________
False
A survey that uses a three-point or four-point scale is as equally effective as a survey that uses a five-point scale.
False
A(n) argument is a proposition or claim that you take for granted as though it were known to be valid. _________________________
False
A(n) premise is an invalid argument that is presented so that it appears valid. _________________________
False
After you identify a problem and explore its causes and related issues, it is time to develop a mashup. _________________________
False
An argument is valid if it logically follows the premises, even if one of the premises is false. It is considered a sound argument if its premises are also false. _________________________
False
Assumptions are the values or cell references that the function uses in its calculations. _________________________
False
Attacking the root cause of a problem is always the best approach.
False
Bar charts with vertical bars are called line charts.
False
Being flexible, adaptable, and open minded when working with others helps you avoid critical thinking.
False
Clientsourcing is a term coined by Jeff Howe in Wired magazine to characterize a way of using groups to solve problems. _________________________
False
Complicated problems are often solved by making a simple decision.
False
Convergent thinking describes thought processes or methods used to generate ideas. _________________________
False
Data sets cannot have more than one mode.
False
Deductive reasoning attempts to draw a broad conclusion from specific examples or premises. _________________________
False
Define a successful solution using subjective measures, if possible.
False
Early DSSs were small, proprietary, and inexpensive.
False
Like OpenOffice Calc, ____ is a free, open-source spreadsheet program that is part of the GNOME desktop for computers running the Linux operating system.
Gnumeric
____ is your knowledge of something without having to discover or learn it, and it is typically your first reaction to a problem or question.
Intuition
Briefly describe these three common problem-solving traps: positive outcome bias, the bandwagon effect, and a self-serving bias.
Positive outcome bias - Being overly optimistic about your decisions and answers to questions. The bandwagon effect - When working in a company with a strong set of cultural norms, it is easy to adopt popular opinions and follow the expectations of others, which is called the bandwagon effect. Self-serving bias - Anything that leads you to see the data as you most want it to appear.
News mashups use sources such as the New York Times or the BBC and syndication technologies such as ____ to provide personalized news summaries on your desktop.
RSS
Please describe the following two ways to overcome obstacles to critical thinking: 1) Be aware of your social conditioning and 2) Identify outliers.
Social conditioning encourages you to accept the beliefs, traditions, and values of your social group. To overcome this, challenge yourself to move beyond your social conditioning and consider other ways of thinking and interpreting. Outliers are past experiences with other people, places, and situations that are extremely good or bad. You should not let outliers motivate your decisions when it comes to critical thinking.
____ are people who, like problem owners, are also affected by the problem or whose involvement you need to resolve the matter.
Stakeholders
____________________ is achieved when two or more people work together to produce something greater than the sum of their individual efforts.
Synergy
Please describe the difference of solving a problem using a systematic approach versus an intuitive approach. In what type of situation is each method the most appropriate?
Systematic approach - Solving a problem in a methodical and organized manner. This method takes a reasoned and rational approach and is most appropriate for complicated problems, which most likely involve a lot of risk. Intuitive approach - Solving a problem by reacting immediately and instinctively. This method uses an common sense approach and is most appropriate for quick decisions.
A source can be a ____.
any of the above
Decision trees are made up of three primary elements: Uncertainties, Decisions, and Results. For each decision tree elements please indicate the shape that represents that element and a description of how that element is used in creating values for each option.
Uncertainties - Circle - 1. Multiply each outcome by it's probability. 2. Insert this value in the decision tree. 3. Repeat this for each uncertainty. Decisions - Square - 1. Estimate the costs associated with each option. 2. Subtract cost of the outcome value you calculated to find the benefit of that decision. 3. Repeat this for each decision. Results - Line - When you have calculated all of the decision benefits (value-cost), choose the option that has the largest benefit. This is the optimal decision.
Dalton is studying how to become a critical thinker. Please answer the questions below. Dalton also learns that being generally negative, scornful, and distrusting of other people is a sign of being ____.
cynical
Solutions to problems are ____ ideas.
abstract
In the final step of problem-solving group develops an implementation plan, also called a(n) ____ plan, to guide changes, product or service introductions, and complex projects.
action
Instead of gathering data, analyzing it, and exploring alternatives systematically, most ____________________ techniques involve a combination of intuition, logic, and common sense.
adaptive
The Latin expression post hoc, ergo propter hoc literally means "____, therefore because of this."
after this
A decision tree is a support tool that models decisions using a treelike diagram. Each branch of the tree represents an option and its ____.
all of the above
Before you solve a business problem, gather relevant data and then analyze it to find ____.
all of the above
Complex problems are those that ____.
all of the above
Darcy, an outside consultant, has agreed to solve the problem of low student test scores for a neighborhood school. Please answer the questions below. As she works on the solution, Darcy should communicate regularly with problem owners and stakeholders. It is suggested that she use ____ to create a log of your conversations, ideas, alternatives, and solutions.
all of the above
Instead of gathering data, analyzing it, and exploring alternatives systematically, most adaptive techniques involve ____.
all of the above
Kyle is evaluating solutions to fixing the leaky roof at the hockey rink he manages. Please answer the questions below. In order to evaluate the solutions, Kyle considered the ____.
all of the above
Mapping your ideas visually helps you ____.
all of the above
Topics to discuss with stakeholders include ____.
all of the above
Use critical thinking whenever you ____.
all of the above
To organize your ideas when thinking critically, you identify, construct, and evaluate ____, which are statements or explanations that support your ideas.
arguments
The ____________________ value of a set of data is usually referred to as the average.
arithmetic mean
Kyle is evaluating solutions to fixing the leaky roof at the hockey rink he manages. Please answer the questions below. Before narrowing the solutions down to three, Kyle generated ____.
as many ideas as he could
Darcy, an outside consultant, has agreed to solve the problem of low student test scores for a neighborhood school. Please answer the questions below. Since she is solving a problem for someone else, the first step Darcy should take is to ____.
ask for advice
If the potential risk is significant enough, you might need to take a different approach altogether, which is called risk ____.
avoidance
Decisions that cause change can upset or threaten others in the organization. To avoid this, build support for your solution ____.
before you put it into practice
An electronic book (e-book for short) is usually ____.
both a. and b.
Dalton is studying how to become a critical thinker. Please answer the questions below. Dalton learns that your ____ abilities can improve with practice.
both a. and b.
When working in a company with a strong set of cultural norms, it is easy to adopt popular opinions and follow the expectations of others, which is called the ____.
both a. and b.
With ____, the group considers a question, task, or project, and then generates as many ideas as possible, usually in a short period of time. Every idea is recorded, and no idea is disregarded, criticized, or analyzed.
brainstorming
A popular way to visualize a complex problem is by creating a ____ diagram.
cause-and-effect
A(n) ____________________ is a statement that someone says or writes about a topic.
claim
During the ____ phase of building a team, group members can complete tasks efficiently, work together on complex problems, and make shared decisions.
collaboration
If you are responsible for solving a problem, you do not have to work alone. Instead, take advantage of the ____________________ wisdom of your colleagues, which is the shared knowledge and experience a group of people can apply to a problem.
collective
____ approaches require more time for closure, but tend to have a higher level of commitment from the participants.
consensus-based
The ____ approach is similar to a command style in that a leader still makes the final decisions. However, the process is more democratic because the leader actively seeks input and advice from the group before making the decision.
consultative
Successful Web sites such as StumbleUpon (www.stumbleupon.com) and Digg (www.digg.com) use ____ by inviting their visitors to vote on recommended Web sites, articles, restaurants, photos, or videos, for example, by submitting links or reviews.
crowdsourcing
Kyle is evaluating solutions to fixing the leaky roof at the hockey rink he manages. Please answer the questions below. When criteria has differing importance levels, take the differences into account by assigning ____ to each option.
weights
Test your solution to make sure it is successful. Determine a ____ scenario and try to simulate it. However, avoid introducing hazards or additional problems.
worst-case
