Analytical thinking is the ability to follow a systematic path while solving problems. Individuals with this ability, who have a thinking structure that affects the social, professional and intellectual life of the person, divide a problem into sub-headings with the deductive method, evaluate each possibility that may cause the problem, combine them with the available data and reach a solution.
Analytical skills allow one to collect, organize, visualize and evaluate data through analytical thinking.
People with advanced analytical thinking skills are more successful in matters that require logic and reasoning. Since their inquisitive aspects are also developed, they do not believe in unproven information without thinking. These people, who have a strong sense of curiosity, are also good at predicting the next step of events. They have creative answers and clever solutions they can come up with. In this respect, they succeed in standing out from others in academic and working life as well as in social life.
These people, who use logical reasoning quite successfully, make fewer mistakes and can be more resilient in the face of difficulties. Their research aspects are strong, they make predictions by successfully analyzing the data they have obtained as a result of their research, and they easily reach the solution of the problem.
People with developed analytical thinking skills are noticeably ahead in the following skill areas:
- critical thinking
- logical reasoning
- Research
- Prediction
- Generating alternatives
- Problem solving
- Data mining
- Data and metric analysis
- Reporting
- Organization
- Communication
- Diagnosis
- Troubleshooting
- Creativity
- Theorizing
- Brainstorming
- To decide
Analytical thinkers who are good at tackling complex problems manage to stand out as leaders within their teams. They are open to innovation and encourage their teammates to embrace new ideas and gain the courage to be forward thinking.
The ability to think analytically gives a person the ability to be foresighted. People with advanced analytical thinking skills are masters of predicting the result, so they can make the most appropriate planning during the development phase while producing a product or service. They know what is prioritized and can be a pioneer in guiding their teammates when qualifying. Instead of despairing over problems, they approach setbacks and failures as learning opportunities. In order to solve the existing problem, they get to the core of the problem by synthesizing what they have learned from the past with what they have learned recently and produce a logical solution.
There are techniques used to apply analytical thinking to problems encountered. An analytical thinker primarily thinks critically. He is always skeptical in his approach to every situation, event or phenomenon he encounters. Doesn’t accept easily without thinking about it, wants to see confirming evidence. It conducts research, analyzes, classifies and combines the data it reaches, and reaches a solution.
In order to develop analytical thinking, which is so important in one’s life, simple methods that can be encountered frequently in daily life can be applied, gripping movies, books containing intertwined events, complex mathematical problems, various strategy games can be used for this purpose. In addition, paying attention to details, being open to innovations and learning will also be effective in developing analytical thinking skills.