Critical Thinking Activity - Writing a Process

People who work in some fields must be very clean to do their work. Read the list of steps involved in entering a cleanroom. It can take a novice 40 minutes to go through the process!

Consider an activity you do regularly.
You will be surprised by the complexity involved and yet how easily you do it.

Describe the steps you go through to do one of these activities:

Eating a banana or orange. Putting on a shoe & tying it. Making a sandwich. Folding a T-Shirt.

How To:

Use a word processing document to do this project. Write the steps in order, just like they did on the entering clean room process page.

1. Enter each step of the process without entering a step number. (This will make it easier to set and edit the order later.)

After each new step - tap the Return key. This places each step on a new line in the document.

2. To number the list - Word - Highlight the text. Go Format > Bullets and Numbering.

In the dialog box choose - Numbering. Select the numbering format that is best suited for this project. (You decide)

3. Save.

4. Carefully examine the list.

Is it in order? Are all the steps included?

Critique it by asking - If you gave your list to another person, who followed it exactly as written, would they be successful?

5. To add a new step - Click at the end of the line above where you want to enter the new step. Return. Enter the new step.

To reorder the list - highlight the text of the out of order step and drag it to the correct location.

It both cases - Notice that the steps have been renumbered by the computer. Sweet! If you had numbered the list as you entered it, you would have to renumber each step. UGH!

Extend your thinking:

* Gather data as a class.

Use a spreadsheet to analyze your class's data.

Publish a chart or graph that shows your findings.

Share what you learned with an audience.

* Ask a Pro. How many steps does it take the cafeteria staff to make a sandwich?

Who is more efficient - your class members or the cafeteria staff?

“A computer does not substitute for judgment any more than a pencil substitutes for literacy.
But writing without a pencil is no particular advantage.” Robert S. McNamara

Explore further

Consider the Power of Possibilities through Andreessen's eyes

Extensions: