Presented by The Solutions Group Decision Making Tools

Goal for the day Gain tools and techniques to make wise decisions for your organization, quickly and confidently.

Popular Decision Making Methods Consensus Majority Vote Minority Decision Expert Opinion Authority Rule

Choosing a Method To Use How important is the decision? How much time is available? What are personal relationships among members of the team? How many people will be affected by the decision? How important is group buy-in for implementing the decision?

Consensus A collective group decision that every member is willing to support Requires a spirit of cooperation Takes time; can be frustrating The purest form of consensus is unanimous, but it isn’t always possible to obtain. Members may support a decision that isn’t their first choice, accepting the fact that it is the best one possible for the group at that time.

Majority Vote Requires only the support of a plurality of the members Quick and easy to reach Works well on minor issues Not optimal for important decisions Leaves a substantial minority unsatisfied and resentful

Minority Decision A few members make a decision that affects the entire group Works if the minority has the confidence of the larger group Doesn’t take advantage of the entire group’s creative thinking Expedites issues quickly and easily

Expert Opinion Decision by a single person who has the knowledge or skill to make an informed decision Not always easy to tell who the expert is Other members may not agree who the expert is May cause resentment and result in little group buy-in

Authority Rule  The designated leader makes the final decision  The leader should take into account the ideas and suggestions of members  Some members may be disappointed if their suggestions aren’t accepted

Poll Question: Which method of decision making is most used by your group for routine decisions? a) Consensus b) Majority Vote c) Minority Decision d) Expert Opinion e) Authority Rule

6 Basic Steps to Better Decision Making Define the problem Gather information Evaluate the evidence Consider alternatives and implications Choose and implement the best alternative Follow up and evaluate the effectiveness of that choice

Define the Problem Give symptoms of the situation in order to discover what the real problem is. Frame or structure the problem. Remember that any frame leaves us with only a partial view (like windowpanes). Try several views. Determine what criteria would cause you to prefer one option over another. Focus on the most important aspects of any questions.

Gather Information Decide where you will pursue information about the problem. How will you gather information? Come up with several possibilities. Research with deliberate effort to avoid overconfidence in what you currently believe. Beware of the tendency to seek information that will confirm your biases. Look for both knowable facts and reasonable estimates of “unknowables.”

Poll Question: Which of the following statements is a fact? a) The new computer system is too hard to learn. b) The land around the building is 2/3 of an acre. c) A new employee benefit program is too expensive to implement.

Evaluate the Evidence Use agreed upon criteria developed along with definition of the problem.

Consider Alternatives and Implications Develop alternatives first by brainstorming. List what others have done before to solve the problem. Combine strategies. Ask if there is any benefit to doing nothing. Consider pursuing the present path more (or less) aggressively. Collaborate with someone else to use resources you don’t have and to gain support.

Choose and Implement the Best Alternative List “must haves” and “wants.” Any solution must fill the “must haves.” Determine if your solution is feasible, that is, will it work in the real world? Check for effectiveness, efficiency, direction, recovery, and completeness. Plan carefully how to set the process in motion. State who, what, how, and when. Make responsibility and accountability clear.

Follow up and evaluate effectiveness of your choice Schedule time to check back. Decide criteria you will use.

Using the Thinking Hats Method

Getting Started – the blue hat Defining the situation Laying out the purpose & what is to be achieved Seeking alternatives Articulating a summary Asking for an outcome or decision

White – facts and figures Practical statements of fact No guesses & no emotions Thinker should imitate a computer by being neutral & objective. Statements can include checked and proven facts or facts that are believed to be true but have not yet been fully checked.

Red Hat = Feelings Red – purpose of this hat is to express feelings, emotions, & intuition, no need to justify or explain feelings.

Black = caution Black = the hat of caution. The black hat is for being careful. It stops us from doing things that are illegal, dangerous, unprofitable, polluting, etc. This is also the hat of survival. We need to be cautious & know what to avoid.

Yellow = benefits Yellow = deliberately setting out to find benefits of a suggestion (think sunny). Constructive thinking – Under the yellow hat a thinker deliberately sets out to find whatever benefit there is in a suggestion. There should be some reason for each value put forward. What are the benefits? For whom? Yellow hat signals a positive attitude and getting the job done. Generate alternative approaches & define opportunities.

Green – what’s new? Green = energy, growth, creativity, new ideas, options & alternatives. Green indicates possibilities & change, new approaches to problems plus the urge to do things in a better way. Creativity involves provocation, exploration & risk taking. The green hat allows artificial motivation. Try to be creative! Put forth the effort. In green hat thinking, movement forward is the emphasis. Movement completely replaces judgment.

Summarize with Blue Hat The closing blue hat indicates: What we have achieved Outcome Conclusion Design Solution Next steps

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