The Decision-making Process

The Decision-making Process

• Thoughts, Ideas and Practice

• Decision-making

• As defined by Baker et al in their 2001 study, “efficient decision-making involves a series of steps that require the input of information at different stages of the process, as well as a process for feedback”.

• Decisions

• Made up of a composite of information, data, facts and belief.
• Data by itself does not constitute useful information unless it is analyzed and processed.

A Decision

• Is only as good as the data that informed it
• Is only as good as it is an informed one
• Is only as good as the system which exists to implement
• Is only good if you have the means to implement it
• Is only good if other people understand it and what it means

The Ideal Decision-making Process

• STEP 1
• Define the problem

• STEP 3
• Establish goals that solving the problem should accomplish

• STEP 4
• Identify alternatives that will solve the problem

• STEP 5
• Develop valuation criteria based on the goals

• STEP 6
• Select a decision-making Tool

• STEP 7
• Apply the tool to select a
• preferred alternative

• STEP 8
• Check the answer
• to make sure it
• solves the problem

• The Decision-making Process (adapted from Baker et al, 2001)

• STEP 2
• Determine the requirements that the solution to the problem must meet

The Reality

• Is the Problem really the problem? Problems are often the symptom and not the true problem.
• Most often that not steps 5-8 are either forgotten, avoided or simply ignored.
• Urgency – is there a quick version?
• Who has time to follow-up? Tomorrow is another problem.