Critical Thinking Tools for Insider Threat Analysts

Flashcards providing vocabulary terms and definitions for critical thinking tools used by Insider Threat Analysts, based on lecture notes.

Problem Restatement

A critical thinking tool for looking at a problem from other perspectives by paraphrasing, turning it 180 degrees, broadening the focus, or redirecting the focus.

Pros-Cons-Fixes

A critical thinking tool to compensate for negative thinking by listing pros, cons, consolidating and neutralizing cons, and then comparing for decision-making.

Divergent Thinking

A brainstorming technique where all ideas are permitted, built upon, and accepted without judgment, to generate a large quantity of ideas for problem solving.

Convergent Thinking

A critical thinking technique used to select one idea from a list of ideas that have been generated, often following divergent thinking.

Chronologies/Timelines

A critical thinking tool involving an orderly examination of information through a list of relevant events and dates to understand the context and cause-and-effect relationships.

Causal Flow Diagram

A critical thinking tool that identifies a system's components and their direct or inverse cause-and-effect interactions, analyzing behavior as an integrated system.

Matrix

A critical thinking tool that presents information in a grid form to separate elements of a problem, categorize information, compare types of information, and identify correlations or patterns.

Scenario/Decision Tree

A critical thinking tool that graphically illustrates choices and outcomes at different junctures in alternative sequences or chains of events, with each sequence being a separate scenario.

Weighted Ranking

A critical thinking tool used to compare, evaluate, and choose among alternatives by listing criteria, pair-ranking criteria and items, assigning weights, and calculating weighted values for a final ranking.

Hypothesis Testing

A critical thinking tool that tests multiple hypotheses by comparing significant evidence (including absent evidence) against each hypothesis using a matrix to find the most likely conclusion.

Devil's Advocacy

A critical thinking tool used to challenge the rationale of a potential course of action by focusing on the contrary viewpoint, examining opposing arguments, and attempting to disprove them to promote objectivity.

Probability Tree or Matrix

A critical thinking tool used to address random and indeterminate problems by assigning statistical probabilities to decisions and events to estimate outcomes when data is limited.

Utility Tree/Matrix

A critical thinking tool for looking at options and outcomes, determining their benefit (utility), assigning utility values and probabilities, and ranking them based on expected values.