CoRT 1
Thinking Tools
DATT
CoRT 1 Tools and techniques
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The CoRT 1 tools are part of the CoRT
programm created by Dr Edward de Bono,
with the aim to help persons explore and
give breadth during decision making and
problem solving.
CoRT
Consider All Factors: CAF
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The CAF tool is the prime information
input tool
Used before generating ideas.
The CAF tool is the process of exploring
all factors in any situation.
Consider All Factors: CAF
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Factors are like headings which then need to be
further expanded and detailed.
A CAF of a project would be
– Purpose, Feasibility, Fit, Acceptance, Impact
What should we bring to mind?
 What must we not leave out?
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How to Consider All Factors: CAF
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The factors affecting oneself
The factors affecting other people
The factors affecting your organisation
The factors affecting the profession
The factors affecting society in general.
First Important Priorities - FIP
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The FIP narrows down long lists to those
things that need to be done first and those
things that are the most important
Priorities guide all that we do, so priorities are
extremely important. Some things matter
much more than others
F.I.P. First Important Priorities
In choosing priorities ask two questions:
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Without this, (action) would the project go ahead.
ie. feasibility
Without this, (action) would project be worth
doing ie. What is the value of this action
Aims, Goals, Objectives
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A.G.O.
The A.G.O. tool looks at the intention behind the
actions. What is our purpose?
The A.G.O. tool helps to clarify the aim, goal or
objective of our thinking. Use it at the beginning of a
thinking session
The A.G.O. is an action tool. It is for making things
happen
‘Aims’, ‘goals’ and ‘objectives’ all mean the same thing in
the DATT course
There are three levels of objectives: overall objectives,
sub-objectives and right-now objectives
Aims, Goals, Objectives
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First there is the general aim of our thinking –
such as exploring a subject or solving a
problem
We then plug in the specific need
Think of alternate definitions to a problem.
Some problem definitions are more productive
than others
Alternatives, Possibilities, Choices
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APC
APC is an attempt to focus on exploring all
the alternatives, choices, and possibilities
- beyond the obvious.
Consequence and Sequel: C & S
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Is a tool that is focused directly on the
future
Calls for crystallisation of the process of
looking ahead
To seeing the consequences of some
action plan, decisions rules and invention
on different time intervals
Consequence and Sequel: C & S
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Immediate
Short medium
Long-term consequences
Decisions
In making decisions you have to
> Consider all the factors. CAF
> Be clear about aims/objectives. AGO
> Assess priorities. FIP
> Look at consequences. CS
> Discover alternative courses of action. APC
> You can also do a PMI (plus, minus,
interesting) on the decision once made.
Plus, Minus, Interesting: PMI
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Designed to ensure that decision or
commitment takes place after both sides
of the matter have been considered and
not before. The 'I' of PMI can be used as a
tool in subsequent lessons.
Other People's View: OPV
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This considers the process of looking at
other people's viewpoints so that the process
can be used consciously and deliberately to
escape from one's own point of view.
PLANNING
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The idea is to use planning as a thinking
situation which brings together: objectives
(AGO), consequences (C&S), the factors
involved (CAF) and the treatment of ideas
(PMI).
RULES 
Provides an opportunity for practicing
PMI and CAF
An existing or proposed rule is an opportunity
for practicing PMI. The factors involved in
making a rule provide practice in CAF.
 Now
lets try to work some
exercises