Jonathon Minster

&

Keith Dingler

A cognitive process resulting in the selection of a course of action among several alternative scenarios

8 steps to help you produce a final decision in a business setting

Decision makers must first identify and definethe problem or conflict that you’re trying to solve

The problem must be specific/understand why you’re pursuing it (If it’s not specific, you won’t get quality results)

Be organized, and measure the problem (If it can’t be measured, then it can’t be successfully completed)

Try to set a deadline (If there is a deadline, when is it?)

Gathering information on the problem is vital to making a rational decision

Figure out all information about the topic (Can be about alternatives associated to the problem, or about the situation and the outcome)

Involve stakeholders, and any outside entities that are affiliated with the problem

Make a check list while gathering information

Also called Selection: Choosing of one of the alternatives

You can either choose to be working by yourself, or with a group of people (Tasks are more complicated when working with others)

There can be disadvantages if you assign to many or too few workers to complete a task

This step is where you set up the criteria for the alternatives

Things to consider:

1. Your own values

2. The company’s values

3. The company’s culture

4. Your goals

5. The company’s goals

The longer you brainstorm/analyze, the best option will become more clear

Want to create as many alternatives as possible (Allows more ideas and plans to be created)

Create a list of potential ideas Things to consider:

1. Create a cause-and-effect diagram – helps identify the possible causes of the problem

2. Create a Pareto Chart – helps prioritize each cause from most important to least important

3. Pros and Cons list – helps to determine the best alternative

Based on the previous steps; you want to use that information to select the best process for your decision

Can be tough (Many times there are multiple ways of completing a project)

Things to consider in your decision making:1. Company policy2. Resources (Availability)3. Personnel4. Which process will be most efficient? Creating a decision tree/chart could help weigh

the pros and cons of each process

Once you have made the final decision, it is now time to convert that decision into a plan

Knowing the best decision: Still have to execute and carry out the steps in order to achieve it (Follow through with actions that support the justified decision)

Need to have the ability to overcome distractions and obstacles that may present themselves

Integrity (Be consistent in your values, methods and actions as you pursue your plan)

Evaluation of your plan is an important aspect of the decision making process (Reflect and consider all phases of your decision)

Evaluate through three main factors:

1. How the plan worked?

2. What went wrong?

3. What could have been better?

This step helps your decision making skills, and allows you to learn and improve on those skills for the future

• Please click on the link below to take the first quiz

• https://docs.google.com/a/ashland.edu/forms/d/1RbJSsfikXmzh10_QA-sFhkJ8FIEnmH5VR6U52Vk3UHI/viewform?sid=1b5876ec974a5cc5&token=VqwDNT4BAAA.yQANm8jz3YyxsFgBpuS9cQ.VrqbhRqEkispRIyrPc6Axw

Shorter and easier way to think about decision making

Everyday decision making in your personal life

Five words

Situation: Analyze the situation that you’re in

Options: Weigh each option (Make a pros and cons list to help evaluate each option)

Choose: Choose the option that is the most beneficial or least costly

Act: Follow through with you’re decision

Evaluate: Analyze the plan (Learn from mistakes and determine if it was successful)

• There are four types of decisions that can be used.

• The situation will determine which one is the best one to use.

1. Decisions whether: • This is a yes/no or an either/or type of

decision.

• This decision is made before the consideration of alternatives.

• Example: Should I go on vacation?

2. Decisions which:• In this one there is a set of choices to choose from

• Compare each of the options to your predefined criteria to make best decision

3. Contingent decisions:

• These are decisions that have already been made, but are waiting for some other condition to be met.

• You are waiting for the right opportunity to come many times (often times unconsiously)

• Factors such as price, effort, time, and encouragement play a role.

• Example: I will workout if I get my homework done in time

• Example: I will buy that TV if the price is right

4. Contingent Alternatives:

• Similar to contingent decisions

• There is more than one choice involved in this one

• Example: If I get my paycheck tomorrow we will go out to a movie or to the concert, but if I do not we will stay in and play video games or watch TV

• There are four types of decision making styles

• In two of them the leader decides and in the other two the followers decide

Leader Decides:• Autocratic

• Decide and tell• Make decision independently and

announce to the group• Have them paraphrase it back so you know

they understand

• Consultative

• Make decision after hearing some recommendations

• Two approaches:

• The decision is almost final, but you want to check their reactions before you make the announcement

• Take recommendations before any decision is made

Followers Decide

• Group decides• Followers have power in the decision

• First option is a majority vote• Leader gets one vote but no veto power

• Everyone has equal power in the decision process

• Second option is a consensus• After discussing all possibilities, all

involved agree on one decision

• Delegation

• Give the responsibility of decision making to followers with clear measurements

• Have followers relay information back to you so that everyone is on the same page

• Please click on the link below to complete the online test to see what you have learned

• https://docs.google.com/a/ashland.edu/forms/d/1IxSDnljIpxYe8pXWGx_81CKxv2Q4aknpzOQTbnFM2tc/viewform?sid=e8377746274c0a&token=gDOFMz4BAAA.yQANm8jz3YyxsFgBpuS9cQ.2XEarGSmx3ztSKJE2BFwpA

• http://decision-quality.com/intro.php• http://www.virtualsalt.com/crebook5.htm• http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http

://www.langleyflyingschool.com/Images/• http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/Th

e-DecisionMaking-Process.topicArticleId-8944,articleId-8863.html

• http://www.humanresources.hrvinet.com/decision-making-questions/