Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008 Data-Driven Decisions and School Leadership: Best Practices for School Improvement Theodore J. Kowalski Thomas J. Lasley II James W. Mahoney This multimedia product and its contents are protected under copyright law. The following are prohibited by law: Any public performance or display, including transmission of any image over a network; Preparation of any derivative work, including the extraction, in whole or in part, of any images; Any rental, lease, or lending of the program.

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008 Chapter 3: Decision Complexity, Models, and Action Theories

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008 Decision frequency These decisions are pervasive and made daily These decisions are extraordinary and made only once or twice Routine Unique

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008 Decision configuration StructuredUnstructured The problem is clear, obvious, and easy to define The problem is ambiguous and difficult to define

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008 Decision significance UnimportantImportant The decision is unlikely to have negative consequences A decision’s effects are likely to be highly consequential

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008 Programmed versus un-programmed decisions Programmed decisions are those that are determined or guided by existing policy, rules, norms, procedures and so forth. Un-programmed decisions are those that require decision analysis, especially framing the problem and setting a decision objective.

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008 Programmed decisions occur when the: problem or decision is routine problem or decision is structured consequences are relatively unimportant

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008 Un-programmed decisions occur when the: problem or decision is unique problem or decision is unstructured consequences are important

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008 Decision analysis Frame the problem Determine your objective Define an acceptable decision using criteria Identifying alternative choices Assess and evaluate the alternative choices using the criteria

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008 Decision models What should be done What should and could be done What has been done Normative Prescriptive Descriptive

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2008 Espoused versus action theories Espoused theories – Exist at the conscious level – Typically altered by research – Examples include normative, prescriptive, and descriptive theories Action theories – Learned individually through experience – Involve intuition (artistry) – Develop through reflective practice