Integrating core critical thinking skills with the AIM framework

    B Case Study: The Declining Sales Report    

• Scenario: A retail company’s sales dropped 20% last quarter. 
  Materials: 

• Raw sales data by region/product. 

• Customer feedback snippets (e.g., “Hard to find products online”). 

• Competitor promo timelines. 

• Task: Assess the data—what’s driving the decline? What’s missing? 

Case Title: The Mystery of Declining Sales at TrendSpot Retail 

Objective: Use analysis (breaking down information) to diagnose why sales dropped 20% last quarter and propose data-driven solutions. 

Case Background 

TrendSpot Retail, a mid-sized fashion chain, saw an unexpected 20% sales decline last quarter. The CEO has asked your team to investigate. 

Available Data: 

1. Sales Reports (Last 6 Months): 

1. Regional breakdown (North vs. South stores) 

2. Online vs. in-store sales 

3. Top 5 best/worst-selling products 

2. Customer Feedback (From Surveys & Reviews): 

1. “Couldn’t find my size online—gave up.” 

2. “Checkout took forever in-store.” 

3. “New summer collection felt overpriced.” 

3. Competitor Activity: 

1. Rival brand UrbanThreads launched a 30% discount promo during the same period. 

Your Task 

1. Assess the Data (20 minutes): 

1. Break into small groups. 

2. Analyze the provided datasets (sales, feedback, competitors). 

3. Identify: 

1. Patterns (e.g., Is the drop consistent across regions?) 

2. Gaps (e.g., Do we have data on website traffic?) 

2. Answer Key Questions: 

1. What are at least 3 possible causes of the sales decline? 

2. Which data is most compelling to support your hypotheses? 

3. What additional information would you need to confirm? 

Guided Steps (Using AIM Framework) 

1. ASSESS (Analyze Objectively): 

1. Sort data into categories: customer pain points, external factors, internal issues. 

2. Example: “Online sales dropped 35%—link this to negative website feedback.” 

2. IDENTIFY (Spot Biases/Assumptions): 

1. Challenge: “Are we blaming pricing too quickly? Could website UX be the bigger issue?” 

3. MAKE (Propose Action): 

1. Draft a 1-page recommendation for the CEO. Example:
   *“Prioritize fixing website navigation (proven by feedback) and test a 10% price cut on slow-moving items.”* 

Tools to Use 

• SWOT Analysis: Map strengths/weaknesses in TrendSpot’s strategy. 

• Root Cause Template: 

Problem: Sales decline → Why? → Poor online UX → Why? → No mobile optimization → Why? → IT budget cuts   

Debrief Group Discussion 

• Share hypotheses. Did teams focus on the same data points? 

• Critical Insight: Analysis isn’t just about data—it’s about asking the right questions. 

     C. Extract: Skill & AIM Action     

• Skill: Analysis = Breaking data into patterns (e.g., regional trends, website complaints). 

• AIM Action: 

• Assess: Audit sales data vs. customer feedback. 

• Identify: Flag assumptions (e.g., “Is it just pricing, or is navigation the issue?”). 

• Make: A focused experiment (e.g., A/B test website layout). 

• Tools: SWOT analysis, data dashboards. 

D Reinforcement Activity: Fix the Flow 

Fix the Flow: Groups map a broken process (e.g., hotel check-in) using sticky notes.

• • Goal: Identify 3 redundant steps and propose a streamlined version.

Integrating core critical thinking skills with the AIM framework

⬜ Lesson 1: Analysis (Assess) 

⬜ Lesson 2: Bias Recognition (Identify)

⬜ Lesson 3: Inference (Make)

⬜ Lesson 4: Problem-Solving (Assess + Make)

⬜ Lesson 5: Evaluation (Assess + Identify)

⬜ Lesson 6: Metacognition (Identify)

• Critical Thinking

  • Lesson 1: Critical Thinking in Action

  • Lesson 2: Bias Recognition (Identify)

  • Lesson 3: Inference (Make)

  • Lesson 4: Problem-Solving (Assess + Make)

  • Lesson 5: Evaluation (Assess + Identify)

  • Lesson 6: Metacognition (Identify)

  • Pre-Capstone Prep: Review & Progress Check

  • Capstone Lesson: Critical Thinking Certification Challenge

• How Learning Styles Shape Critical Thinking

• Competencies, Critical Thinking & AIM

• Achieve More with Less Using Critical Thinking

• Integrating core critical thinking skills with the AIM framework

• Integrating Emotional Intelligence

• How to Solve Community Problems with EQ, Critical Thinking & AIM