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BlueDragon Redefines Critical Thinking

Critical thinking and problem solving skills were named the top human skills you need to thrive in the age of Artificial Intelligence, according to the 2016 Future of Jobs Report from the World Economic Forum.

BlueDragon is focused on strengthening these skills that are essential to creating strong problem solving cultures and high performing organizations.

The Importance of Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Skills in Industry 4.0

WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM

Critical Thinking:

A Modern Practitioner's Journey of Discovery

Download the paper written by our founder and CEO, Rob De La Espriella, presented at the 40th International Conference on Critical Thinking.

Professional men in suits holding puzzle pieces together, symbolizing problem-solving.

Critical thinking and problem solving skills are becoming a lost art.

Our ability to think for ourselves, develop informed opinions, reach sound conclusions and solve problems, are diminishing by the year. The availability of information, social media and advances in technology (such Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning) are creating the false belief that computers can think for us.

More and more leaders are becoming aware that their personnel lack critical thinking skills and are relying heavily on what they hear or find on the internet.

  • Critical thinking and complex problem solving were named the top human skills you need to thrive in the age of AI*. * World Economic Forum – 2016 Future of Jobs Report

  • Leaders are starting to notice an over-reliance on computers and smart phones and less emphasis on critical thinking.


  • Critical thinking is a skill that can be learned and improved upon. BlueDragon provides a practical definition to help us develop those skills.
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Introducing BlueDragon IPS

Redefining Critical Thinking

The BlueDragon IPS definition enhances our understanding of critical thinking and provides a clear and unambiguous road map to how to practice and enhance our critical thinking skills.

"Critical Thinking is the intellectually disciplined process of gathering, organizing and analyzing information, so we can develop informed opinions, reach sound conclusions, solve problems, and take the best course of action."

A graphic advertising a paper written by Rob De La Espriella

Critical Thinking:

A Modern Practitioner's Journey of Discovery

A paper by our founder and CEO, Rob De La Espriella

Presented at the 40th International Conference on Critical Thinking, September 15 to November 8, 2020

Our Solution

BlueDragon Training Courses are designed to strengthen participants’ skills and knowledge of the practical application of critical thinking and problem solving.

Our focus is on the practical application of critical thinking.

BlueDragon’s creator notes that “critical thinking and complex problem solving are skills that are rapidly fading with the advent of computers and smart phones.”

BlueDragon’s success is largely due to the fact that it is focused on sharpening our critical thinking and complex problem solving skills; life skills that are essential to high performing organizations and in all walks of life, and are irreplaceable in the age of Artificial Intelligence.

BlueDragon teaches us what it means to evaluate information more critically, to broaden our perspectives and look at an issue or event from different angles, to encourage other organizations and subject matter experts to also think critically, and to adapt to any emerging circumstances because complex investigations and root causes are not done by-the-numbers.

What BlueDragon does not do is focus on selling and teaching you how to master any proprietary software.

Rob, BlueDragon’s creator, has been teaching critical thinking tools and techniques at Princeton University’s Keller Center for Entreprenuership every summer since 2015.

“Rob really showed us what the process of creative critical thinking can look like. The level at which he was able to connect with the groups helped us internalize the value of his lessons beyond a mere presentation or lecture. The tools he taught helped us reorganize ourselves and our understanding of our challenge, which reframed where we were and gave us a sense of where to go next.”

- Drey Tengan, Princeton Class of ’20

(Member of the Princeton Keller Center Design Thinking Team working on improving the care for the homeless in NYC)

Keller Center logo
Princeton University logo

BlueDragon College Course for Undergraduate Engineers

BlueDragon has partnered with Endicott College’s School of Science and Technology to teach a 1-credit laboratory course to provide engineering students with advanced skill training in a specific area that is important to the engineering fabrication process: Causal Analysis.

This laboratory course trains students to strengthen their critical thinking and problem-solving skills so they can gather, organize, and analyze information necessary to complete an in-depth causal analysis.  Practice is intertwined with theory during class sessions and assigned homework.

The course will eventually be offered as a series of Fabrication Laboratory courses that can be repeated for various topics, with up to 3 credits counting toward the engineering elective requirement and the Engineering Fabrication micro-credential.