QUALITY ASSURANCE PROJECT Making Decisions The purpose of this module is to develop participants’ facilitation and training skills to enable them to enhance a team’s ability to make decisions 1

QUALITY ASSURANCE PROJECT At the end of this module participants will be able to:  Identify stages of decision making  Discuss advantages and disadvantages of four different decision-making strategies  Recognize challenges to decision making  Facilitate consensus decision making 2

QUALITY ASSURANCE PROJECT Content Stages of decision making Decision-making methods Decision-making model Ineffective decision-making behaviors –avoiding making decisions –“groupthink" in reaching consensus 3

QUALITY ASSURANCE PROJECT Stages of Decision Making Orientation Discussion Decision Implementation 4

QUALITY ASSURANCE PROJECT Orientation  Defining the problem  Planning the process to reach the decision 5

QUALITY ASSURANCE PROJECT Discussion  Gathering information  Identifying alternatives  Evaluating alternatives 6

QUALITY ASSURANCE PROJECT Decision Choosing team solutions 7

QUALITY ASSURANCE PROJECT Implementation  Adhering to the decision  Evaluating the decision 8

QUALITY ASSURANCE PROJECT Decision-making Model ExpertConsensus VotingLack of Response Quality Acceptance High Low High Quality Low Acceptance High Quality High Acceptance Low Quality Low Acceptance Low Quality High Acceptance Rank Ordering Multivoting 9

QUALITY ASSURANCE PROJECT Methods of Decision Making Decision by lack of response Decision made by expert(s) on team 10

QUALITY ASSURANCE PROJECT Methods of Decision Making Voting –Rank ordering –Multivoting –Majority vote Criteria-based decision matrix Consensus 11

QUALITY ASSURANCE PROJECT Consensus Consensus is achieved when each team member can nod “yes” to  “Will you agree this is the next step?”  “Can you live with this position?”  “Are you comfortable with this course of action?”  “Can you support this alternative?” 12

QUALITY ASSURANCE PROJECT Consensus Guidelines to achieving consensus Avoidance of “groupthink” 13

QUALITY ASSURANCE PROJECT Guidelines for Making Decisions by Consensus Encourage everyone to express their views Encourage others to explain their views Seek out differences of opinion 14

QUALITY ASSURANCE PROJECT Guidelines for Making Decisions by Consensus Understand another team member’s view before disagreeing Avoid arguing for your position Continue to look for the most acceptable alternative 15

QUALITY ASSURANCE PROJECT Guidelines for Making Decisions by Consensus Do not change your mind simply to avoid conflict Avoid techniques such as voting, averaging, and bargaining to reduce conflict 16

QUALITY ASSURANCE PROJECT Discussion-limiting Strategies  Procrastinating  Bolstering  Avoiding responsibility  Ignoring alternatives  Satisfying  Trivializing the discussion 17

QUALITY ASSURANCE PROJECT Symptoms of “Groupthink” Critical thinking not rewarded Team can do no wrong Justification of team’s actions Pressure to “go along” Need to “follow the leader” 18

QUALITY ASSURANCE PROJECT Reduce “groupthink” Encourage critical, independent thinking Encourage sensitivity to status differences Evaluate team’s productivity 19

QUALITY ASSURANCE PROJECT Reduce “groupthink” Assign member to play role of “devil’s advocate” Subdivide into small groups 20