Decision Making GXEX1406 Thinking and Communication Skills

2GXEX1406 Thinking and Communication Skills – Week 13 Decision Making Decision Making Definition: “The process for arriving at a decision.” Decision making  an everyday task! Focus on: What is the process/procedure that makes a good decision making? What are the tools/techniques to aid decision making process?

3GXEX1406 Thinking and Communication Skills – Week 13 Decision Making Decision Making Process 1. What is the problem/decision to be made? Problem definition? Objectives to be fulfilled? Problem boundaries? Example: Decide whether extra work hour should be encouraged?

4GXEX1406 Thinking and Communication Skills – Week 13 Decision Making Cont. 2. What are the possible options/ alternatives? Look for new alternatives/options/ideas or courses of action. Available technique: PMI (Edward De Bono) It is a powerful thinking tool for the generation of alternatives, options or courses of actions. P = Plus or Good Points M = Minus or the Bad Points I = Interesting or the Interesting Points

5GXEX1406 Thinking and Communication Skills – Week 13 Decision Making Cont. PMI technique – begins with the ‘Plus’ followed by the ‘Minus’ and finally the ‘Interesting’ points (attention directing tool) The ‘interesting’ point consists of neither positive nor negative reasons/ideas etc. It explore possibilities that may be outside the usual realm of pro or con. Example: P : What if extra work hour is encouraged..? M : What if extra work hour is discouraged..? I : What if extra work hour is normal?

6GXEX1406 Thinking and Communication Skills – Week 13 Decision Making Cont. 3. What options/alternatives are best? Using generated options/ alternatives, do: a) consequences of each option/ alternative Make predictions as to the consequences of each option or course of action, i.e. what if extra work hour was encouraged or discouraged? Support each prediction with credible evidence, i.e. what evidence do I have that extra work hour should be encouraged or discouraged?  Support with statistic, survey, expert opinion etc

7GXEX1406 Thinking and Communication Skills – Week 13 Decision Making Cont. Available technique: The ALU (Scott and Donald) It is a technique for idea finding. A = Advantages L = Limitations U = Unique Connections

8GXEX1406 Thinking and Communication Skills – Week 13 Decision Making Cont. ALU technique: Advantages: From the list of possibilities ask what advantages does each alternative offer? What are its strongest points? What makes it attractive or appealing? Limitations: Next ask, what limitations are there? Are there obvious flaws or weaknesses to be overcome if we work with this alternative/ course of action? Are there possible trouble spots? Unique Connections: Finally, ask yourself. “Does this alternative/idea suggest any new or unusual connections I was not aware of before? Are there any “hidden potentials” here?

9GXEX1406 Thinking and Communication Skills – Week 13 Decision Making Cont. b) value of each consequence Rank each consequence according to priority based on a value system. 4. Selection of best option Compare the various options/ alternatives based on their consequences. Decide which is the best option/ alternative.

10GXEX1406 Thinking and Communication Skills – Week 13 Decision Making Cont. 5. How to implement the decision? Establish what is need to implement the decision (resources allocation). List action steps for implementation (including people involved) If possible, include contingency plans for known risks.

11GXEX1406 Thinking and Communication Skills – Week 13 Decision Making Summary Decision making process: 1. What is the problem/decision to be made? 2. What are the possible options/ alternatives? 3. What options/alternatives are best? 4. Selection of best option. 5. How to implement the decision?