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Critical Thinking and Problem Solving for Financial Professionals
Overview
CPA Australia has partnered with Learnsignal to bring you a collection of courses specifically designed for accounting & finance professionals. Boost your skills and stay future-ready by accessing an extensive library of in-demand professional courses which will equip both employees and employers with the essential skills and knowledge to drive business growth and maintain a competitive edge.
Financial professionals face complex challenges that require logical reasoning, data analysis, and ethical decision-making. Whether assessing investments, managing risks, or ensuring regulatory compliance, applying critical thinking and structured problem-solving frameworks is essential for making sound financial decisions.
This course provides a systematic approach to evaluating information, identifying biases, and applying analytical tools in finance. It covers key frameworks, to help assess risks and opportunities objectively. Additionally, the course explores scenario planning, expected value analysis, and forecasting strategies to manage financial uncertainty. Beyond analysis, financial professionals must also navigate ethical dilemmas, balance regulatory compliance with business goals, and prevent financial fraud. By the end of this course, you will develop a structured mindset for tackling financial challenges. You will gain practical skills to analyze complex problems, mitigate risks, and make informed, ethical financial decisions in a rapidly changing economic landscape.
Key topics:
- Introduction to critical thinking in finance
- Core skills for critical thinking
- Problem Solving Frameworks for financial professionals
- Evaluating information and arguments
- Decision-Making under uncertainty
- Applying critical thinking to ethical and compliance challenges
This course is made up of videos, questions and additional reading materials.
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Your satisfactory completion of the training module may be recorded against your CPD hours.
IMPORTANT: You must complete this course and assessment by the expiry date. Extensions to this timeframe will not be provided.
Refunds for purchases of Learnsignal courses will only be available in exceptional circumstances and will be based on CPA Australia and Learnsignals cancellation terms.
What you'll learn
- Define critical thinking and its role in effective financial decision-making.
- Apply four core skills of critical thinking and three reasoning approaches when solving financial issues.
- Explain four common cognitive biases and four logical fallacies in financial decision-making and its implications.
- Execute three-step process to structure and streamline the approach to financial problem-solving.
- Utilise frameworks such as SWOT, PESTLE, Porter’s Five Forces, and Gap Analysis to assess and address financial scenarios.
- Calculate and interpret financial risks through probability analysis and expected value calculations in real-world contexts.
- Recognise ethical dilemmas, analyse the relationship between regulatory compliance and financial performance, and propose balanced strategies to optimise both.
- Develop strategies that promote transparency, accountability, and long-term sustainability in financial decision-making.
Who is this for ?
This course is suitable for:
- Finance professionals involved in investment analysis, risk assessment, or financial modelling
- Accountants and auditors who must evaluate evidence, interpret regulations, and make defendable judgements
- Finance managers and leaders responsible for strategic planning and resource allocation
- Board members and decision-makers seeking structured, transparent and defensible financial decisions
- Professionals transitioning into leadership roles who must balance data, uncertainty, and stakeholder alignment
