Books that might help in these areas:<p>1) Better Thinking techniques and Systems<p>2) Overcoming Cognitive Bias<p>3) Creativity/Innovation<p>4) Problem Solving/Decision Making<p>5) Any other similar area in business/life.<p>For example:<p>Peter Bevelin - Seeking Wisdom - From Darwin to Munger<p>The Personal MBA - Josh Kaufman<p>Charlie Munger - The Psychology of Human Misjudgment<p>Predictably Irrational - by Dan Ariely<p>Daniel Kahneman - Thinking, Fast and Slow<p>The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life - Twyla Tharp<p>Michael Michalko - Creative Thinkering<p>Thinking in Systems: A Primer - Donella H. Meadows<p>The Goal by Eliyahu Goldratt
How about some books that aren't pop-sci / business books? I am kind of biased, since I love this area of psychology.<p>- The Sciences of the Artificial by Simon<p>- The Psychology of Problem Solving by Davidson & Sternberg<p>- The Cambridge Handbook of Expertise and Expert Performance (Cambridge Handbooks in Psychology) by Ericsson, Charness, Feltovich & Hoffman<p>- Minds, Brains and Computers - The Foundations of Cognitive Science: An Anthology (Blackwell Philosophy Anthologies)<p>- Choices, Values, and Frames by Kahneman & Tversky<p>The Sciences of the Artificial is a small but deep book by Herbert Simon, who is considered a key figure in founding the study of these areas (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbert_Simon" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbert_Simon</a> ).<p>Davidson & Sternberg focuses on problem solving (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Sternberg" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Sternberg</a> ).<p>The Cambridge Handbooks (there are many others) in particular are excellent as they contain classic articles in Cognitive Science and Psychology, with introductions and overviews by people who actually research this area. The one on Expertise and Expert performance is edited by K. A. Ericsson (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K._Anders_Ericsson" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K._Anders_Ericsson</a> )<p>Minds, Brains and Computers is another collection of classics, from a more model-based perspective.<p>Finally, Kahneman and Tversky offer a more economics-centric viewpoint. (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Kahneman" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Kahneman</a> & <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amos_Tversky" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amos_Tversky</a> )<p>If you read scientific articles in this area, you'll notice that many of these author's names will keep popping up...
Prometheus Rising by Robert Anton Wilson - <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Prometheus-Rising-Robert-Anton-Wilson/dp/1561840564" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/Prometheus-Rising-Robert-Anton-Wilson/...</a><p>A proposition offered by Wilson on the nature of the human mind - "Whatever the Thinker thinks, the Prover proves."<p>"Of course it is fairly easy to see that other peoples minds operate this way; <i>it is comparatively much harder to become aware that one's own mind is working that way also</i>."<p>Realize that when you think X, all of your successive thoughts attempt to reconcile or solidify the notion of X. In this way, we are the artists of our realities, everyone's reality being different than others since all of it is based on conceptions. Your conceptions and ideas rule you, from who you think you are to what you think the world or your environment is about. It is how you make sense of all sensory data. Not everyone organizes their reality in the same way you do, because they all went through a difficult accumulation of sense data (and subsequent reaction to and organization of said data) throughout their lives to get to where they are.<p>More: <a href="http://deoxy.org/wiki/The_Thinker_and_the_Prover" rel="nofollow">http://deoxy.org/wiki/The_Thinker_and_the_Prover</a><p>The question then becomes, can we then transcend our conceptions and perceive reality as it is? We may have to consult the Buddha on this one.
Good list. I'd add 'The Checklist Manifesto' by Atul Gawande ( <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Checklist-Manifesto-How-Things-Right/dp/0312430000/" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/Checklist-Manifesto-How-Things-Right/d...</a> ), about how experts with decades of experience in highly complex tasks can still benefit from simple, short and obvious checklists.
"The Psychology of Intelligence Analysis" -<p><a href="https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-intelligence/csi-publications/books-and-monographs/psychology-of-intelligence-analysis/PsychofIntelNew.pdf" rel="nofollow">https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-intellig...</a><p>Is a great book on learning to overcome cognitive bias and dealing with a foggy understanding of a problem set.
I will definitely second Atul Gawande's <i>Checklist Manifesto</i>.<p>Eliyahu Goldratt's books (I have read <i>Critical Chain</i> and <i>It's Not Luck</i> as well as <i>The Goal</i>) are not as original as often claimed. They are very readable introductions, but a good project management text will cover most of what they do and more. The project management book that I have found most helpful is <i>Project Management With Cpm, Pert and Precedence Diagramming</i>; despite its age (1983) it covers a wider variety of techniques with more detail and less extraneous crud than any of the others I have seen (note I am still researching this area, anyone who has a favorite book can leave it in a comment). <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Project-Management-Pert-Precedence-Diagramming/dp/0442254156/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322244392&sr=8-1" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/Project-Management-Pert-Precedence-Dia...</a><p>Jonathan Baron's <i>Thinking and Deciding</i> is one of the best books on improving your thinking in general that I have ever read. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Deciding-Jonathan-Baron/dp/0521680433/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322244137&sr=8-1" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Deciding-Jonathan-Baron/dp/05...</a>
I enjoyed Pragmatic Thinking and Learning (<a href="http://pragprog.com/book/ahptl/pragmatic-thinking-and-learning" rel="nofollow">http://pragprog.com/book/ahptl/pragmatic-thinking-and-learni...</a>). It's quite accessible, and doesn't feel too pop or new age.<p>If you're quick, you can get it rather cheaply during the Black Friday sale. (<a href="http://media.pragprog.com/newsletters/2011-11-21.html" rel="nofollow">http://media.pragprog.com/newsletters/2011-11-21.html</a>)
Sequences from <a href="http://lesswrong.com" rel="nofollow">http://lesswrong.com</a> . Not a book though, but the reading material is available in .pdf, .epub and .mobi.
Category 1:<p>- Simple Heuristics That Make Use Smart by Gigerenzer, et al. (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Simple-Heuristics-That-Make-Smart/dp/0195143817/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1322242265&sr=1-1" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/Simple-Heuristics-That-Make-Smart/dp/0...</a>). I have heard good things about this book but have not read it yet.<p>Category 2:<p>- Think Twice by Mauboussin (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Think-Twice-Harnessing-Power-Counterintuition/dp/1422176754" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/Think-Twice-Harnessing-Power-Counterin...</a>)<p>- Influence by Cialdini (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Influence-Psychology-Persuasion-Business-Essentials/dp/006124189X" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/Influence-Psychology-Persuasion-Busine...</a>)<p>Category 3:<p>- You already mentioned Michalko, but his other book, Thinkertoys, is also very good (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Thinkertoys-Handbook-Creative-Thinking-Techniques-2nd/dp/1580087736" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/Thinkertoys-Handbook-Creative-Thinking...</a>)<p>Category 5:<p>- Switch by the Heath brothers is excellent (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Switch-Change-Things-When-Hard/dp/0385528752/" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/Switch-Change-Things-When-Hard/dp/0385...</a>)
The Minto Pyramid Principle: Logic in Writing, Thinking, & Problem Solving by Barbara Minto (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pyramid-Principle-Writing-Thinking-Problem/dp/0960191046" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/Pyramid-Principle-Writing-Thinking-Pro...</a>)<p>Some Mental Models are available here for free :<p><a href="http://www.focusinvestor.com/FocusSeriesPart3.pdf" rel="nofollow">http://www.focusinvestor.com/FocusSeriesPart3.pdf</a><p><a href="http://www.focusinvestor.com/MungerModels.pdf" rel="nofollow">http://www.focusinvestor.com/MungerModels.pdf</a><p>For systems :<p>Lean Thinking by James Womack<p>--------------<p>Some thought provoking personal effectiveness titles :<p>The Four Agreements by Miguel Ruiz (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Four-Agreements-Practical-Personal-Freedom/dp/1878424319" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/Four-Agreements-Practical-Personal-Fre...</a>)<p>The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less by Barry Schwartz (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Paradox-Choice-Why-More-Less/dp/0060005696/" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/Paradox-Choice-Why-More-Less/dp/006000...</a>)<p>The Power of Full Engagement by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz
Mind Performance hacks (<a href="http://my.safaribooksonline.com/book/personal-productivity/0596101538" rel="nofollow">http://my.safaribooksonline.com/book/personal-productivity/0...</a>) by Ron Hale-Evans, and his web site (<a href="http://www.ludism.org/mentat" rel="nofollow">http://www.ludism.org/mentat</a>).
"Streetlights and Shadows: Searching for the Keys to Adaptive Decision Making", Gary Klein<p>"Normal Accidents: Living with High-Risk Technologies", Charles Perrow<p>"Chaos: Making a New Science", James Gleick<p>"Filters Against Folly", Garrett James Hardin<p>"Judgment in Managerial Decision Making", Max Bazerman<p>"Deep Simplicity: Bringing Order to Chaos and Complexity", John Gribben
Sources of Power: How People Make Decisions - Gary Klein
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sources-Power-People-Make-Decisions/dp/0262611465/" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/Sources-Power-People-Make-Decisions/dp...</a><p>Also, Gerd Gigerenzer is a good name to look into. My degree is in Decision Science, so I'm slightly biased against some of the pop-sci authors. However Gigerenzer has a number of books that range from highly accessible to the academic. Also, he has served as an editor on volumes that relate the study of mental models/cognition to other fields.<p>One example is: Heuristics and the Law
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Heuristics-Law-Dahlem-Workshop-Reports/dp/0262072750/" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/Heuristics-Law-Dahlem-Workshop-Reports...</a>
Personally, I'm a big fan of Edward DeBono. Two of my favorite books are:
1) Lateral Thinking: <a href="http://tinyurl.com/88ugdjz" rel="nofollow">http://tinyurl.com/88ugdjz</a>
2) Six Thinking Hats: <a href="http://tinyurl.com/7t2w27y" rel="nofollow">http://tinyurl.com/7t2w27y</a> . There is a video course available on youtube as well: <a href="http://tinyurl.com/6q4rz2t" rel="nofollow">http://tinyurl.com/6q4rz2t</a><p>I learned about them through Alan Kaye's reading list: <a href="http://tinyurl.com/83bqlbx" rel="nofollow">http://tinyurl.com/83bqlbx</a> He has a section on learning and creativity that has some other good alternatives.
I'm currently enjoying the recently released 'You Are Not So Smart' by David McRaney: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0052RE5MU?ie=UTF8&tag=paraplusmytwi-20&linkCode=shr&camp=213733&creative=393177&creativeASIN=B0052RE5MU&m=A1NBCVVM1MRWGW&ref_=tmm_kin_title_0&qid=1322318853&sr=8-1" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0052RE5MU?ie=UTF8&tag=...</a><p>I will never trust my brain again.
There are a lot of really good ones here. Three more:<p>On overcoming cognitive bias (and understanding how mindsets influence motivation, personality, and behavior):
Self-Theories by Carol S. Dweck<p>Mental peformance:
The Inner Game of Tennis - The Classic Guide to the Mental Side of Peak Performance<p>Mental Models on influence:
Influencer: The Power to Change Anything
Not a business book, but "Women, Fire, and Dangerous Things" by George Lakoff is a great guide to how humans think about categories and other related topics rather than how as computer professionals we're trained to represent those relationships.
Not a book exactly but I've been reading this blog --><p><a href="http://thelastpsychiatrist.com/" rel="nofollow">http://thelastpsychiatrist.com/</a><p>He/She has an interesting take on psychiatry, might be worth checking out sometimes.
EXCELLENT thread.<p>Here's my addition: <a href="http://tempobook.com/" rel="nofollow">http://tempobook.com/</a><p>It's by the most excellent Venkatesh Rao: <a href="http://www.ribbonfarm.com" rel="nofollow">http://www.ribbonfarm.com</a>
In the vein of shaking up your ways of approaching things<p>The Zen of Creativity (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Zen-Creativity-Cultivating-Your-Artistic/dp/0345466330" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/Zen-Creativity-Cultivating-Your-Artist...</a>)<p>The Zen of Seeing (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Zen-Seeing-Drawing-Meditation/dp/0394719689" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/Zen-Seeing-Drawing-Meditation/dp/03947...</a>)<p>Learning by Heart (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Learning-Heart-Teachings-Creative-Spirit/dp/B0058M6HD4" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/Learning-Heart-Teachings-Creative-Spir...</a>)
Not what you asked for but i believe the act of programming increases your cognitive ability. Like writing down your thoughts can clear things up but even more so because of it's preciseness.