M5P3

Examples of Cognitive Processes Employees Typically Use When Problem Solving Are:


Processing Information
Analyzing
Conceptualizing
Remembering
Integrating
Learning
Transferring Learnings
Deciding
Comparing


Making Judgements
Synthesizing
Hypothesising
Drawing Conclusions
Novel Thinking
Logical Reasoning
Critical Thinking
Creative Thinking
Computing

The computer – brain analogy

A computer works much like the human brain. Information is loaded and stored on the computer’s hard drive in the form of software programs and information files, such as say, an Excel document. This information (software and files) is retrieved and processed by the computer’s Central Processing Unit (CPU) to provide an output or solution, much like the visual at the bottom of this page.

A computer's capability is determined by the capacity of its hardware - size of its hard drive, and the power of its CPU. We can loosely think of cognitive capability in the same way. It is the capacity of our neural hardware – the brain – to acquire, learn, store, and process information, skills, knowledge, experiences which we collectively refer to as competencies, AND the capacity to engage in cognitive processes such as the ones we listed earlier to solve problems.

The power of the human “CPU and hard drive” will determine:

The extent to which a person can populate his brain with skills, knowledge, competencies and experience;

The effectiveness with which he can utilise the cognitive processes listed above;

And very importantly his ability to take on problem solving challenges which are new or unfamiliar.

It is critical therefore to ensure that a candidate or employee’s “computer hardware” is at least sufficient to deal with the problem-solving demands of his job.

Qualifications alone will not suffice, which is why employees with even high-level qualifications such as an MBA sometimes fail in their jobs. Employees may have the qualification, but if they don’t have a big enough "CPU" to effectively utilize the knowledge that sits in their memories, match it effectively to an external job demand, and effectively engage in whatever cognitive processes and novel thinking is required, they will not be able to deliver effective solutions.

One may ask, how can someone with limited cognitive ability acquire a high level qualification such as an MBA? The reason is that with hard work, knowledge can be acquired and stored in memory. This is akin to loading software programs onto a computer's hard drive. However, effectively utilising that knowledge to deal with real life challenges requires the application of the cognitive processes we have highlighted above. We have compared these thinking processes to a computer's Central Processing Unit or CPU. A computer with a huge hard drive but very limited CPU can store a great deal of information but is likely to be slow and eventually "hang" when trying to retrieve this information and use it for complex tasks. In like manner, individuals with good memory capabilities may be able to "download" an MBA with diligent application, but may be limited in their ability to effectively apply that knowledge, if their cognitive processing abilities are limited.

This can happen at any level in an organisation, whether it be an operator who has been promoted into a team leader role and now has to learn new skills and how to use them to meet new job demands, or a senior manager who has been over – promoted and has insufficient “CPU” to deal with the problem solving demands of his new role. It is critical therefore to ensure that a candidate or employee’s “computer hardware” is sufficient to deal with the problem-solving demands of his job. The only way to do this is by means of an appropriate battery of psychometric tests. A cognitive psychometric test will provide us with a valid, reliable, and objective measurement, of a job candidate’s cognitive capability and enable us to make an informed judgement as to whether it is sufficient to deal with the problem solving demands of a particular role.

Cognitive assessments therefore tell us about a person’s capability to effectively utilise the types of cognitive processes listed in the table above.

This capability will also tell us about a person’s ability to develop and utilize the acquired competencies needed for the job.

Cognitive Assessments will also tell us how well matched the individual's cognitive level is to engage in the thinking processes required by the job level he is being considered for.