A Practical Workshop on Thinking Models & AI Prompting

In the age of AI, the most valuable workplace skill is no longer simply knowledge — it is the ability to think clearly, ask better questions, evaluate ideas, and collaborate effectively with AI tools. While AI can generate content instantly, it still depends on human thinking to define problems, structure ideas, and provide meaningful direction. Without strong thinking skills, AI often produces generic, inaccurate, or low-value outputs.

This highly interactive workshop equips participants with a powerful set of human thinking frameworks — Creative Thinking, Question Thinking, Critical Thinking, and Reversal Thinking — and shows how to combine them with Mind Mapping and AI Prompt Engineering to solve real workplace challenges. Participants will learn a repeatable workflow that moves from thinking → structuring → prompting → producing, enabling them to work smarter, make better decisions, and generate higher-quality outputs with AI.


Prerequisites

1. No prior AI tool experience is required.
2. Participants MUST bring a laptop, mouse and power chord for hands-on activities. There will be no sharing or loan of laptops at the venue. Mobile phone and tablets are NOT recommended for practise.
3. Laptops should be Wi-Fi enabled and able to access the internet provided.
4. Window-based PC laptop (android) and Google Chrome are recommended for optimal compatibility.
5. Participants MUST have a personal Gmail account to login the AI apps on a free or trial account.

Objective

By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:

1. Apply creative, question, critical and reversal thinking frameworks to workplace challenges.
2. Use Mind Mapping to organise complex ideas and problems visually.
3. Apply structured prompt engineering techniques to collaborate effectively with AI tools.
4. Turn ideas into workplace outputs such as proposals, presentations and action plans.
5. Build a repeatable Human + AI thinking workflow for everyday work.

Outline

Module 1 — Brain Principles for Thinking in the AI Era
Participants discover how the brain generates ideas and why strong thinking skills improve AI results.

• How the brain processes information and forms ideas
• Divergent vs convergent thinking
• Why cognitive overload blocks creativity
• The role of human thinking in AI collaboration
• Fun Activity — “30 Circles Challenge”

Module 2 — Creative Thinking & Reversal Thinking
Participants learn to generate new ideas and break habitual thinking patterns.

• Principles of creative thinking at work
• Breaking mental blocks and fixed thinking
• Reversal Thinking: solving problems by flipping assumptions
• Rapid ideation techniques
• Fun Activity — “Make It Worse!”

Module 3 — Question Thinking for Better Problem Framing
Participants learn how better questions lead to better solutions and better AI prompts.

• Judger vs Learner mindset
• Asking questions that unlock insights
• Clarifying goals and problems through questioning
• Turning questions into AI prompts
• Fun Activity — “Question Storming”

Module 4 — Critical Thinking for Smarter Decisions
Participants learn how to evaluate ideas logically and avoid poor decisions.

• Facts vs assumptions vs opinions
• Identifying risks and blind spots
• Evaluating ideas systematically
• Using AI to stress-test ideas
• Fun Activity — “Shark Tank Evaluation”

Module 5 — Mind Mapping to Structure Thinking
Participants learn to visually organise ideas and prepare them for AI prompting.

• Principles of Mind Mapping
• Structuring complex problems visually
• Using Mind Maps for planning and communication
• Turning Mind Maps into prompt blueprints
• Fun Activity — “Mind Map Relay”

Module 6 — AI Prompt Engineering & Thinking Workflow
Participants integrate all thinking frameworks with AI tools.

• Why prompts determine AI output quality
• The MAP Prompt Framework (Mission, Audience, Parameters)
• Turning Mind Maps into powerful AI prompts
• Applying the full Human + AI thinking workflow
• Capstone Activity: The AI-Powered Innovation Pitch - Participants apply the full workflow to a real workplace challenge.

Who should attend

This workshop is ideal for professionals who need to think, plan, solve problems or make decisions at work. No prior AI experience is required. Recommended for:
• Managers and team leaders
• Executives and professionals
• Trainers, educators and consultants
• HR, operations and public sector professionals
• Knowledge workers and project teams

Methodology

This workshop is highly practical and hands-on with approximately 30% concept input + 70% application. Participants learn through:
• Guided mini-lectures
• Individual and group thinking exercises
• Mind Mapping activities
• Live AI prompting practice (please bring your own laptops)
• Real workplace application challenges

Eric Cheong's Profile

BSc(Hons) MSc (HRM)
Accredited ACTA Trainer, Developer & Assessor (SG)
Master Trainer, Buzan iMindMap & AYOA (ThinkBuzan UK)
Certified Trainer, Guerrilla Marketing® (USA)
Certified Trainer & Coach, Identi3® Personality Profiling (SG)
Master Trainer, Click Colours International (AU)
Certified Trainer, Inquiry Institute (US)
Design Thinking Certificate – MITx and DesignThinkers Academy (SG)
Adult Educator Network and Institute for Adult Learning (SG)

Eric Cheong is a corporate trainer and thinking-skills specialist who helps organisations improve critical thinking, decision-making, and collaborative problem solving. With 25+ years across telecommunications, technology, and education, he equips leaders with questioning and mindset tools to navigate complexity and ambiguity.

Previously with SingTel, Pacific Internet, and the National Library Board, Eric understands matrix organisations, public sector systems, and corporate transformation. His experience spans governance, entrepreneurship, and executive education, linking thinking frameworks to real workplace challenges.

As former Managing Director of Buzan Asia, he expanded creative thinking and Mind Mapping programmes across Asia. An Accredited Master Trainer in Click! Colours® EQ Profiling (Click! Colours International), he has trained over 10,000 professionals from organisations including Intel, HP, HSBC, Sony, Far East Organization, Singapore Airlines, and the Monetary Authority of Singapore.

Eric holds a Master’s in Human Resource Management and is pursuing a DBA focused on leadership influence and cognition in complex organisations. Having lived and worked in Hong Kong, Belgium, and the United States, he brings strong cross-cultural leadership insight.

Global Training & Thought Leadership Credentials

Eric’s expertise in critical and creative thinking is shaped by training with leading global pioneers:

• Certified Master Trainer in Mind Mapping, trained under Tony Buzan and co-trained with him.
• Master Trainer, Click! Colours® International, trained by founders Greg Barnes and David Koutsoukis (emotional intelligence and behavioural profiling).
• Trained by Michael Gelb, author of How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci (creativity and whole-brain thinking).
• Graduate of the Chief Questions Officer Programme by Marilee Adams, creator of Question Thinking (Learner mindset and decision-making).

Speaking Engagements & Media

• Guest speaker, Smart Nation 2021 — Prime Minister's Office webinar on Applied Creativity
• Featured expert, BrainTalk 2021 — MM2 Studios parenting series
• Guest speaker, SPH MONEY FM 89.3 — Thinking & Innovation at Work
• Corporate talks for Sony Singapore, UPS, Singtel, Hewlett Packard, and others
• International speaker, 14th International Conference on Thinking (Malaysia)

Testimonials

“I have not come across a Trainer like Eric who takes great lengths to engage his participants, address their inner motivations and going the extensive way to build up his trainees. He is not just a Trainer, but a unique educator who cares for his Learners and stays true to his purpose of educating minds.”
Christie Khoo, Manager, SG Professionals' and Executives' Co-operatives

“Eric makes me understand the importance of being open, flexible and adaptable. If the trainer is rigid and unimaginative, then so will the learners, and they will participate in the training in a dull and unmotivated manner.”
Vinay Rai, Business Owner, Writer and Editor

“Eric has diligently put together this all-in-one programme, making it simple and easy for anyone - even for a beginner to be equipped as a Corporate Trainer very quickly.”
Lui Ng, Senior Vice-President in a technology firm