How to develop analytical skills. Analytic skills

Have you ever wondered what the difference is between analytical and critical thinking? Unfortunately, most people don't see here big difference and therefore they do not use to their full potential either the possibility of a critical attitude to reality or the potential of analysis that underlies logic.

Meanwhile, by understanding and developing these intellectual tools, we gain the ability not only to understand the world more deeply, but also to transform it more effectively! How exactly do these intellectual processes help our brain?

Criticism VS Analytics

Critical thinking helps us:

assess whether the event actually took place,
make sure whether the information received can be trusted and to what extent,
find out whether a given phenomenon, object, subject or situation is useful or not for us,
draw a conclusion, a conclusion and give your assessment.

In other words, critical thinking helps us form an opinion or belief about certain information. Critical thinking can be conditionally called evaluative.

In turn, thinking analytically means:

understand the essence of the phenomenon;
understand cause-and-effect relationships;
be able to decompose a complex problem into its component parts;
compare probable solutions to the problem and select the optimal one.

We use our ability to think analytically when we are required to break down voluminous information into separate “pieces” and, moving step by step, understand its essence and logic. Analytical thinking can conventionally be called rational, logical.

But how to develop analytical thinking?

Developed analytical skills are useful to us both in everyday life and in professional activities.

A highly qualified specialist, regardless of what field he works in, must be able to:

quickly identify the main and secondary information in incoming information,
solve complex problems,
find strengths and weak sides in the event that happened,
identify opportunities and limitations,
draw reasonable conclusions and conclusions,
make decisions based on statistical data,
design your activities in accordance with your goals,
divide the process into stages.

Let's play!

Let's look at special games to develop analytical thinking.

Puzzles. It is usually recommended to do puzzles for mental training. But, if you really strive to develop your attention and ability for mental analysis, it is better not to assemble puzzles, but... to make them yourself. This creative way of training is much more complex and therefore more productive for a person’s mental development.
Quest. If your family likes to spend time together, then a treasure hunt on a map would be a great educational activity for everyone. If this game is intended only for children, then you should make a map that is understandable for the child. But still the best solution there will be a joint quest in which children and their parents will join forces, reading the map and step by step moving to the place where the treasure is hidden. Reading maps requires mentally translating real objects into the symbols that represent them, and vice versa. That is why such a game is equally useful for those who draw and mark the map, and for those who will subsequently try to read and decipher this map.
Ciphers and codes. By the way, any ciphers can also very well act as trainers for analytical thinking. Comparing a cipher and its key, translating from one conventional language to another are wonderful playful ways of mental development.
Puzzles. Even if it’s just an ordinary Rubik’s Cube. But different variations of it have long appeared. The good thing about a puzzle is that it forces us to calculate our actions several steps ahead.
Board games. This may seem archaic to some, but it is very effective remedy developing the ability to analyze - these are traditional board games. However, we are not talking about those games where success is determined solely by luck, as, for example, in children's games with dice throwing, indicating the number of moves allowed to the player. The only truly useful games are those that require players to carefully consider each of their next moves, taking into account the actions of the enemy and, if possible, anticipating or even provoking the enemy to make certain moves. In such games the skills are honed:

recognize the motives behind the actions of others,
understand the logic of other people's actions,
anticipate the likely decisions of others,
choose precise ways to respond to the actions of others.

With Vikium you can develop analytical thinking online

Online games like Scrabble contribute to the development of the skill of quickly analyzing and evaluating information, as well as making choices correct wording or a suitable word.

And, of course, we should not forget about such a time-tested game as chess! Chess is one of those types of games that require the player to be able to analyze the situation on the board and develop a strategy for his actions, while trying to reveal the opponent’s plan. Thus, in addition to analytical thought, a strategic vision is also required.

But perhaps the most effective workouts the brain receives thanks to our penchant for mental experimentation. That mind-bending question, “What if...?” captivates not only scientists, but also all those who like to pamper their minds with unusual tasks. There are quite a lot of them, for every taste and different levels difficulties.

The most famous of these riddle games is the Prisoner's Dilemma.

However, it is no less exciting to try to understand, for example, an experiment called “Mary’s Room”. Maria is a scientific researcher, very talented and capable. She sits in a special room or cell and observes the world around her through special windows, which are arranged in such a way that Maria sees the world only in black and white. She knows everything about light waves and how color appears and changes. But, alas, her knowledge is exclusively theoretical. She had never left her room in her life. What will happen when Maria leaves the room and sees the real world in all its colors? Will she be able to recognize colors? For example, distinguish a red apple from a gray one? The essence of this thought experiment is to, after analyzing the situation, develop and justify all possible strategies for Maria to understand the world of colors.

And the experimental game “Ideological Turing Test” will not only entertain players, but will also serve as a worthy trainer for developing skills in analyzing the position of your opponent. In order to win, the first participant in the discussion must carefully analyze the argumentation of his opponent in the dispute and apply it in his speech so that the judges do not guess who the author of these arguments is - the first participant or his opponent.

More sophisticated scholars may be attracted to unauthorized scientific problems. There are still unanswered philosophical questions that continue to haunt our minds. Trying to simply understand the depth of the question and enjoy the game of your mind trying to find the answer stimulates our brain activity.

Such questions include, for example:

Why is there always "something" but never "nothing"?
Why does our brain consist of atoms, but consciousness, which is a product of the brain, does not consist of atoms?
What gives us the right to claim that we and our entire world are really real, and not a simulacrum, an illusion?
Do we have free will or are we some kind of zombie without even knowing it?
Are we capable of being objective and, if so, in what situations?

There are not so many talented analysts. But regular practice, even if it’s just games, will quite possibly help you become just a good analyst. Which, in principle, is not so little.

Exists a large number of types of thinking that a person uses every day. One of the most important is analytical. If you have this type of developed thinking, then achieving your goals and becoming successful will be much easier. However, it does not appear on its own. You need to train diligently, applying knowledge of how to properly develop your analytical skills.

Analytics and people

Some people have good analytical skills from childhood. This is due to the fact that left hemisphere their brain is right dominant. It is what is responsible for this type of thinking. But those who are not inclined to analytics from birth should not be upset, because... When performing certain exercises, analytical capabilities will quickly increase.

Analytical thinking is responsible for several important points:

Detailed analysis of current events, as well as various phenomena;
Determining prospects and all subsequent events from certain actions;
Construction of logical chains;
Identification of advantages or disadvantages in any phenomena;
Ability to separate major details from minor ones;
Solving everyday problems or tasks;
The ability to reason correctly and express thoughts;
Correct time planning, maintaining work sequence;
Clarity of any logical conclusions;
Making the right decisions.

People with well-developed analytical skills are very effective and easily achieve any goals. It is much easier for them to communicate with others, they can boast of good logic and observation, which seriously helps in everyday life and work. Calculating any task several steps ahead is the simplest task for such a person. It is these benefits that make people think about ways to improve themselves.

Analytical thinking is closely related to critical thinking. When combined, both types become even more effective. They give a person the opportunity to objectively assess what is happening around him, quickly find solutions, and also see shortcomings where others do not notice them. They often actively interact with logical thinking, which allows them to find patterns, anticipate future events in advance, and clearly justify their position on any issue. Their combination makes a person very smart.

Developed analytical skills can be useful in many professions. They are most significant for: managers, economists, political scientists, analysts, programmers, lawyers, investigators and IT workers.

Literature

Great benefits can be gained from reading good literature. People who read a lot stand out from others with their erudition, ability to speak beautifully, broad vocabulary, as well as success. With the help of books you can even influence the quality of analytical thinking. Moreover, there is no need to read complex specialized literature, because You can train such skills with the help of works of art. But this does not mean that you should abandon popular science books. What books should you read to develop analytical thinking:

“Engineering Heuristics” (D. Gavrilov) - a book about thinking that helps you learn to think and decide correctly complex tasks, build conclusions.
“Logic and tactical thinking” (C. Phillips) - allows you to qualitatively train your brain for the right decision any questions.
"Book of Solutions. 50 models of strategic thinking" (M. Krogerus, R. Tscheppeler) is a book that helps you find solutions in any situation.

You can also read other books that teach you about the brain and thinking or challenge you to solve complex problems. From fiction It is worth paying attention to the works of R. Bradbury, A. Christie or A. K. Doyle. All of them will help in developing analytical skills and discovering new talents.

While reading fiction, you should analyze the actions of the characters and also think about why they did what they did. Additionally, you can think about how events would have developed if the character had acted differently.

Intellectual training

You can also develop analytical skills at home with the help of intellectual puzzles. These can be both complex exercises and easy puzzles. This option can be used by both teenagers and adults. But for small children it will be too difficult.

Basic techniques:

Mathematics. Solution various tasks, performing complex algebraic operations, mental arithmetic, passing tests - all this has an impact direct influence for analytical thinking.
Puzzles. Rebuses, ciphers, crosswords or other types of puzzles are very effective for the human brain. They can be used from an early age.
Chess. With the help of chess you can greatly develop your brain. If it is not possible to play with a real opponent, then you can use the help of artificial intelligence or solve special tasks.
Programming. Learning the features of programming brings good results, but may be too difficult for teenagers, which is why it is best used among adults.

Development analytical skills This method allows you to achieve good results in a short period of time. But this will require developing strict discipline and not missing classes.

It is possible to improve analytical thinking in adolescents through a serious approach to school lessons and regular homework.

Games

The best way to improve analytical thinking in primary schoolchildren is through various games. They help you develop while having fun. If a child does not want to engage in any type of activity, or he simply does not like a certain game, then there is no need to force him, because in this case there will be no benefit.

What games will be effective:

Quests. You can come up with various options for quests, but for small child you should give preference to the simplest ones. For example, draw a map of the yard for him, according to which he will have to find treasures hidden by his parents.
Puzzles. Search necessary elements and gradually assembling the big picture engages not only one's thinking but also one's attention. Schoolchildren should choose images that are not too large, with no more than 500 details.
Board games. You can improve your analytical skills only in those board games where all participants are required to think about their decisions or calculate future steps. This option is perfect for the whole family.

Game-based development is very effective, which is why it is practiced by many parents. You just need to choose the right games for your child.

Modeling

Adults often have no time to engage in their own development. In such cases, modeling will help. It allows you to train your thinking in a short period of time, while solving important problems. You can use the method even on the way to work or while taking a shower.

How to apply it:

Select one of the existing problems that could not be solved earlier.
Try to quickly find all the options for solving it, and then stop at one.
Think thoroughly about the problem (why it appeared, whether it needs to be solved, what consequences may arise, whether there will be advantages from eliminating it).
Make the final decision.
Perform a detailed analysis, calculating the likely outcome of events when implementing the chosen solution to the problem.

Developing analytical thinking in this way allows you to achieve good result. However, to do this you need to be able to focus on one thought and bring all your affairs to the end. In this case, you will need to allocate enough time to think about decisions.

If desired, you can simulate unusual situations or problems that you have never had to face. In some cases, this option may be even more effective.

Workouts in everyday life

You can develop this type of thinking without much effort if you include in your daily life some light exercises. They can be used at any time. The main condition for achieving the effect will be the regularity of these trainings.

How you can train analytical skills:

Search for patterns. You should always try to find any patterns. This applies to work or study, as well as all household chores.
Formation good habits. Trying to develop habits has a negative impact positive influence on the brain. If at the same time they are connected with thinking (reading, mental arithmetic, inference), then a double effect will be obtained.
Action analysis. You should think about the actions of absolutely everyone you encounter in life. It is recommended to analyze even characters from movies or books.
Thinking through the past, present, future. You need to think about why an event happened, how else it could have ended, what it will lead to in the future.
Planning a conversation. During a conversation, you should think in advance what this or that phrase will lead to, and decide what is best to say. If you manage to develop this skill, you will become a very pleasant person to talk to.

Regularly doing these exercises will help you achieve desired result. But even after this, you should not stop training to maintain your thinking.

What are analytical skills? When we consider that a person has an analytical mind, this implies that his reasoning is logical and structured. This kind of thinking allows you to collect all the facts received, analyze them, build a clear sequential chain and draw conclusions that in most cases will be correct. Thus, analytical skills are the talent to think logically.

Are analytical skills a gift of nature or the result of training?

Experienced teachers will confidently say that they manifest themselves in early childhood. Some kids enjoy composing fairy tales and fables, while others fall into a stupor when they hear the task of drawing a fantastic animal. At school, analysts find it easy to exact sciences(algebra, physics), but in a literature lesson the teacher may be extremely dissatisfied with such a student. Analytical skills are the ability to calculate connections between objects and phenomena (even if they are not obvious), differentiate important and minor details, apply methods of deduction (from the general to the particular) and induction (vice versa, from the particular to the general).

Employers and HR specialists value the analytical mindset of job seekers. If a person has developed analytical skills, it is guaranteed that this will help him in the profession of a marketer, logistician, economist, IT specialist, etc. Of course, an analytical mindset is genetic trait each specific person. But the skills of constructing a logical thought chain and analyzing any situation can and should be developed.

How to develop an analytical mind

In order to do this, constant training is required. How our body constantly demands physical activity, so our brain needs “tasks”. You can use the training methods below. In any case, even if you practice for a few minutes every day, there is a chance to train your brain and develop the necessary skills.

Many people ask what results can be achieved, will a typical humanist be able to become a person with amazing analytical thinking? First of all, two factors need to be taken into account:

level of skill development before the start of classes;
potential (maximum level), which is determined by genetic characteristics.

You can’t jump over your head, but everyone can significantly improve logical thinking and unlock their natural potential. So how to develop analytical skills?

Step 1: Take Every Opportunity to Learn

When talking with people who have a different point of view from yours, try to arrange the available facts so that the resulting conclusions are similar to the conclusions of your opponent. Over time, you will learn to find inconsistencies in both your and other people's reasoning and come to the truth.

What's happening to you? Imagine various options the outcome of certain events depending on your action or inaction, imagine several options for the development of the situation.

Step 2: Practice

with the help of books? Read detective stories! Classic novels about Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot, and Mrs. Marple are ideal for these purposes. Try to figure out the criminal together with the detective, building logical chains. Another fun way to develop analytical skills is to solve daily problems from the Fun Mathematics collections.

Step 3. Build logical chains

Set problems and try to solve them using logic. For example, task: determine the number of children preschool institutions in your city in 20 minutes, provided that you do not know the reliable answer to the question, and also do not use the Internet, reference books or the help of friends to solve this problem. Set problems and try to solve them using logic.

Possible solutions:

city population;
percentage of preschool children;
percentage of children not attending preschool education;
average number of children in the group;
average number of groups in kindergarten;
number of kindergartens in the city.

Standard algorithm for solving any problem

Set a goal.
Gather as much information as possible.
Identify primary connections.
Anticipate options for the development of events, create a working hypothesis.
Test your hypothesis.
Take action.

People with an analytical mind are distinguished by their ability to solve large numbers of problems. logical problems without experiencing any special intellectual load. If for you building algorithms and establishing connections between objects has become fun, not hard work mental work, consider that you have developed your analytical skills. The video shows some exercises.

In people with a penchant for analysis upper eyelid slightly lowered. In people with a tendency to act instantly the upper eyelid is barely visible.

This was, for example, Andrew Jackson, who defeated the British in the fleeting battle of New Orleans with the help of pirates. His portrait appears on the twenty dollar bill.

These people can perfectly understand for themselves and explain to others possible reasons and the consequences of certain events.

A person with weakly expressed analytical abilities, more impetuous, as a rule, rushes ahead, without making it too difficult for himself to think. Such people make good nurses or orderlies - they rush forward and pull a wounded person out of a car that is ready to explode, without wondering how it was possible to have an accident at a speed of 25 km per hour.

Strong analytical skills

Weak analytical skills

How to deal with people with an analytical mind?

Before asking them to do anything, give them all the background information.

They only need to explain something once.

Analytic mind

With people prone to instant action, you need to behave as follows:

Don't irritate them with lengthy explanations.

Expect a quick, immediate response from them.

Try to take advantage of the fact that such people will go ahead until they get what they want (although sometimes this may seem ruthless).

Weak analytical skills.

Charm.

Those with clear, sparkling eyes attract anyone. They are always lively and energetic.

People with dull eyes most likely lead a dull life, and it’s not interesting to be around them.

Fortunately, this trait is one that you can develop in yourself. Look at yourself in the mirror and think about what you love most, and your eyes will immediately sparkle. You will see that they radiate charm, magnetism, charm. After all, our eyes are the “mirror of the soul.”

It is good to appoint such people to positions where you need to have the gift of getting along with other people.

What to do if a person does not have charm and charisma?

Be glad it's not you.

When going to him, take a good book with you.

Such people “bloom” if you talk to them about what they love.

6. Seriousness.

In the life of every person there is a place for both the funny and the tragic, but serious people with deep-set eyes They seem to only see the serious side of everything. They take themselves just as seriously. Those around them sense this and try to place responsibility on them, despite their age. Such people take life very seriously. They love to enjoy other people's humor more than to make them laugh themselves.

Don't expect any humor.

Set serious goals.

Rely on his sense of responsibility.

People whose eyes are shallow are more relaxed, animated and less focused. Almost all of them are carefree and much easier to change the everyday mood to a festive one.

Your jokes will resonate.

You can behave more freely.

Concern.

Concern is evident in the gaze. When something puts pressure on a person, he feels uneasy, you can notice a “glassy look.” The eyes may also be bloodshot and inflamed. The skin and eyes are dry and shiny.

Don't take his actions to heart.

Wait with your suggestions for a while.

Do everything in your power to help this person get out of this state, be courteous.

The opposite state - complete agreement with oneself and relaxation - is manifested in a calm, pleasant look, the eyelids are slightly moistened.

8. Prone to accidents.

One can observe a certain relationship between the predisposition to accidents and the fact that the axis of one gaze is higher than the axis of gaze of the other.

Be extra careful when driving, etc.

Melancholy.

A sad, melancholic look occurs when a strip of protein is visible under the iris. This indicates the presence of this person some unsolved problem.

Give him the opportunity to unwind. Tell me who could help.

You shouldn't expect genuine fun from him.

You should not hire such a person or start an affair with him until he solves his problems; otherwise his problems will become yours too.

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When hiring employees, employers often list analytical skills as essential. And this is not without reason - today to be able to work with large volumes data, analyze and highlight the main thing, it is necessary for workers of many professions. and, writing reports, solving technical problems and even the ability to conduct a conversation are a small part of the areas where analytical skills are needed. If you think this is boring and dull, then know: developed also requires these skills.

How strong are your analytical problem-solving skills? Not too sure about your answer? With regular practice they can be strengthened and developed. Let's talk about this next.

What are Analytical Skills

Analytical skills are the ability to visualize, formulate, conceptualize and resolve problem situations by making intelligent decisions based on available information. Here short list skills and abilities that constitute and at the same time contribute to the development of analytical skills.

Break problems down into their component parts

Many people get stuck when trying to solve a big problem. Analytical skills help you break problems down into smaller pieces that are easier to solve. This saves time and energy.

Collect and evaluate information

Also known as information literacy, this skill allows you to separate the wheat from the chaff. In a literal sense, this is the ability to select and operate with relevant and correct information, work with sources, and draw informed conclusions.

Manage information effectively

Today it is important to be able to manage a large amount of information. This skill set includes both direct information processing and strong organizational skills.

Look for alternatives and solutions

Over time, every person realizes that there are many paths leading to success in life and business. With advanced analytical skills, you will be armed effective tool to find solutions and alternatives.

In general, analytical skills are used in the following situations:

To solve complex problems
Making informed decisions
Generalizations of statistical data
Identifying trends
Process ordering
Effective project execution
Problem analysis and diagnosis
For research or data analysis

If you are not a scientist, detective or mathematician, what use are analytical skills to you? IN personal life You can identify trends and patterns of behavior in order to better understand the world, communicate effectively with people, conduct life experiments, explain your point of view.

When you learn to think analytically, you will automatically improve your creative thinking skills. You will also be valued by employers for your ability to solve complex problems. We will cover the last point separately.

What questions are asked at an interview?

Here are a few typical questions, which are asked during an interview to test the analytical skills of the applicant.

What steps do you need to take to study the problem and then make the right decision?
Tell me about an incident from your previous job when you discovered more effective method to perform a typical task.
Can you give me an example of a small problem that you identified and solved before it became a major problem?
Describe problems you have encountered previously that required analytical skills.
Think of a problematic situation that requires a quick solution. How did you resolve it?
Were there any cases when your analysis of the situation and decision made her condition worse and you failed? What would you do differently now?
What is the most difficult analytical task you have ever completed?

The answers to these questions will partly determine whether you will be hired. Moreover, what will be assessed is not so much your experience as your ability to reason right now: the construction of phrases, logic in narration and the ability to make correct conclusions.

12 Principles of Analytical Thinking

Follow these principles when you encounter a problem and try to find an effective solution:

Collect information that is related to the topic or problem.
Focus on facts and evidence, not opinions and speculation.
Study the information carefully.
Give a precise definition of the problem.
Break complex information into simple chunks.
Look for patterns and identify trends.
Determine cause and effect.
Learn to understand the connections between concepts and their interrelationships.
Eliminate unnecessary and extraneous information.
Organize your information.
Draw informed conclusions.

Some problems do not require following these principles because they are too simple and obvious. Others are complex and take a very long time to resolve. But by following these principles, you significantly increase your chances of ultimate success.

How to develop analytical skills

Play analysis games

There are many games that can help you improve your analytical skills. Some of the most popular:

Chess
Puzzles
Backgammon
Sudoku
Various puzzles

There are many online games, exercises and simulators for developing analytical thinking. These are, for example, in our program “”, and are also included in.

Make lists, mind maps and tables

We all face a lot of problems, most of which are related to each other. How not to get confused in this array of information and how to see intersections and trends? There are lists, mental maps and tables for this. These practical tools will help you manage yourself and become more organized.

You can train your analytical skills by creating lists like these:

List of your values and life rules
To-do list
List of things not to do
Reading list
List of films
List of habits you need to instill in yourself
List of habits to break

In the same way, you can create tables of your expenses and income or diet. Think about an area of your life where there is a large amount of information and categories. Then create a table or graph to make it easier.

You can learn more about mental maps from.

Use the Five Whys Technique

This simple and powerful technique will allow you to focus on what really matters.

Find the root cause of the problem. Ask yourself the question “Why?” whenever you are faced with something unclear or difficult. The reason may be hidden so deep that you need to dig for a very long time to find it. For example, the reason for poor sales may not be the quality of services or goods, but that the site takes a long time to load or applications take a long time to process.

Use the SWOT technique

Created by Albert Humphrey back in the 1960s, the tool has stood the test of time and remains just as useful. You can use it in two ways - as a simple icebreaker to help a team get together to start strategizing, or more in a complicated way, as a serious tool for solving a whole range of problems.

Using this technique, you create an entire strategy rather than trying to fight one problem.

Let's see how you can use this analytical tool for self-development.

Strengths

Ask yourself the following questions:

What are your advantages?
What do you do better than anyone else?
What unique and cheap resources can you use?
What do other people consider your strengths?

By answering them, you will be able to assess your personality in terms of skills.

Weak sides

What can you improve about yourself?
What should you avoid?
What do other people consider your shortcomings?

The third question is especially important. We are so used to knowing everything about ourselves that we ignore the opinions of others. From the outside, some problems are easier to notice.

Possibilities

Answer the following questions:

What opportunities do you have at the moment?
Is it possible to turn your shortcomings into advantages?
What global trends in self-development exist and what can be used?

To see opportunities, you need to examine a lot of information, classify it and draw conclusions. The concept of "trend" means that you carefully study the whole picture and try to find something common in it.

Threats

Answer the following questions:

What threats do you face?
Will your skills and knowledge be in demand in 5 years?
Will technological change hurt your life and career?
Do you have any debts?

Be realistic and rigorous when conducting your analysis. The more honest the answers are, the more correct conclusions you can draw.

The SWOT tool can also be used when analyzing and creating a strategy for your business.

Learn to program

Knowing how to “talk” to machines is one of the most valuable skills a person can have today. Coding also improves cognitive and analytical skills.

Everything we talked about in this article comes into play when writing code.

Play the game "Argument - Counterargument"

You don't even need a partner for this, although it is advisable. Write down on a piece of paper all your beliefs or opinions that you are confident in. Support all this with arguments. Now find ten counterarguments for each of them. Try to defend the opposing point of view.

Here's what you'll achieve by doing this exercise, according to Scott Fitzgerald: "You'll pass the test of first-rate intelligence when you can hold two opposing ideas in your mind and still retain the ability to think."

Experiment regularly

Become a kind of scientist who spends time collecting information of all kinds. Write down your assumptions about how you intend to prove or disprove the theory, and then carry them out.

For example, find out how to behave in a conflict in order to resolve it. Can:

Respond to reproach with reproach
Keep calm
To ask questions
Tell jokes
Refrain from criticism

Each such action has its consequences. Write down in detail what this or that tactic led to. Analyze what all this could mean. This will help you find effective ways communication with other people.

Look through 100 articles on a specific topic and write down the main ideas

This is a great exercise to get big picture a specific topic and broadening one’s horizons. As you review articles, look for recurring and unique ideas in structure, semantics, and clarity of language.

Imagine that after completing the work you will have dozens of points of view on one issue. You don't have to agree with them, it's important to know that they exist. This gives a huge advantage in debate and defending your point of view.

Analyze what's happening in a room full of people

Especially if you don't know them. Analyze the relationships between them, intentions, certain words and gestures. Imagine yourself as a detective trying to figure out what's going on in the room. You can play this game in a club, in a waiting room, or anywhere you find yourself in a group of people.

Describe the various processes in your life

Want to keep your memory as fresh as possible throughout the day? One way to achieve this is to analyze the processes that happen to you during the day. Everything is important: actions, phrases, events, behavior, conflicts.

When you collect information, do not try to interpret it in any way. Just write it down. At the end of the week, certain conclusions can be drawn. This way, you will improve your analytical skills and also begin to understand what is happening in your life.

Create a strategy for your life

The greatest commanders were strategists and had excellent analytical skills. They constantly changed their perspective and looked at the situation either in detail or as a big picture.

To play any strategy game, you must understand the rules (and which ones you can break), the other players, and their goals. It will take a smart strategy to get what you want. Sometimes you have to sacrifice momentary pleasure. But take some inspiration from the fact that all great people have done it. They knew how to endure and wait in order to appear on stage at the most important moment.

The methods listed and described above for developing analytical abilities are the most common. Here is a list of additional tips:

Try to draw an idea or problem that you are currently thinking about.
Try making graphs of different trends by year or month.
List the various arguments for implementing any of your ideas.
Explain complex concepts in simple language using metaphors and analogies.
Create pros and cons lists for any decision.

The more you practice, the more your brain becomes accustomed to analytical thinking. Don't forget that practice makes perfect.

Books

Developing analytical skills requires reading, especially complex reading. The following books will help you move to new level. Remember: it will be hard.

“How people think” Dmitry Chernyshev.
“Brain development. How to Read Faster, Remember Better, and Achieve Bigger Goals by Roger Sipe.
The Puzzles of Sherlock Holmes by Richard W. Galland.
"Teach Your Brain to Work" by Matthew MacDonald.
“The Japanese System for the Development of Intelligence and Memory” by Ryuta Kawashima.
“Charge for the brain. Raise your IQ" Joel Levy.
“5 minutes to think” by Ian Perelman.
"Quick Count" by Ian Perelman.
“Entertaining tasks and experiments” Ian Perelman.
"Developing Critical Thinking" by Diana Halpern.

Creativity will help you get brilliant ideas, create impressive things and be unique. They will help you stand out. But creativity and innovation must always be backed by the right strategy and perfect execution. This is when your analytical skills come in handy. They are the basis for building a flexible plan and feedback mechanism that will allow even the most complex and improbable decisions to be realized.

We wish you good luck!