# Creative and Critical Thinking for Auditors Course (Self-Paced)

Canonical URL: <https://www.graduateschool.edu/courses/creative-and-critical-thinking-for-auditors-course-self-paced>

## Overview

Creative and critical thinking skills are among the most important that auditors must develop to add value by perceiving what others do not in identifying root causes of problems and new possible solutions in a rapidly changing world. Students are encouraged to think out of the box and use critical thinking to break away from pre-conceived notions and the comfort zone of intuitive thinking to consider different perspectives and alternatives. This course includes brain training exercises and tools to think more abstractly, look beyond the obvious, challenge the status quo, and use process techniques for generating new ideas and making discoveries in practical audit applications.

## What you'll learn

- Describe and discuss the basic concepts of creative thinking.
- Eliminate roadblocks and barriers to the use of creative thinking in auditing.
- Distinguish between creative and critical thinking and explain their complementary roles in problem-solving.
- Describe two key stages in applying creative and critical thinking to identify the causes and solutions to problems with performance.
- Use creative thinking principles and tools to boost your output of innovative ideas and identify the real causes of, and best solutions to, organizational problems.
- Apply critical thinking principles and tools to organize, evaluate, and prioritize ideas generated by creative thinking.

## Curriculum

#### Module 1: Creative Thinking

- Understand the importance of creative thinking in audit problem-solving
- Identify and overcome common roadblocks to creativity
- Recognize the impact of culture and groupthink on creativity
- Explore techniques to generate new ideas and challenge assumptions

#### Module 2: Creative and Critical Thinking for Problem Solving

- Distinguish between creative and critical thinking in audits
- Define problems using audit-related performance gaps
- Apply structured steps for identifying, analyzing, and solving audit problems
- Align critical and creative thinking throughout the audit lifecycle

#### Module 3: Applying “Creative” Thinking Tools

- Use tools like SWOT analysis, brainwriting, force field analysis, and PESTLE
- Practice brainstorming, wall writing, and idea quotas for problem exploration
- Generate and document innovative audit solutions through group techniques

#### Module 4: Applying “Critical” Thinking Tools

- Organize, evaluate, and prioritize creative ideas for audit recommendations
- Use fishbone and spiderweb diagrams to map causes and organize thoughts
- Apply nominal group technique and weighted multivoting for solution ranking

#### Module 5: Making the Critical Case for Creative Recommendations

- Present audit recommendations using structured, evidence-based formats
- Prepare and deliver a persuasive oral audit presentation to management
- Tailor findings and solutions to stakeholder expectations and organizational culture

## Pricing

**Tuition:** $1049