How can you develop a decision-making process for your organization?

Be specific. Don't just say "the customer service process is broken." Instead, identify the specific problems that customers are experiencing. Be measurable. The problem should be something that can be quantified, so that you can track your progress in solving it. Be time-bound. Set a deadline for solving the problem. This will help you stay focused and motivated. Be actionable. The problem should be something that you can actually do something about.

Ask yourself if the problem is something you can measure. If it is, then you can find out what makes up this issue. You don't need to be good at calculus to do this. For example: You've noticed that productivity has been down in the office since summer started. You're not exactly sure why, but you do understand the things that drive productivity in your office. The equation looks like this: Productivity = happy workforce adequate equipment time clear goals... The list goes on. You'll know which one of those drivers has the biggest impact. At this point, you should start measuring each driver with a benchmark in mind.

Sometimes, numbers are just numbers without any real meaning. Having all the facts doesn't guarantee an easy discovery of the root cause. The challenge lies in the possibility of making logical mistakes, like confusing what doesn't exist with what's impossible. Another common issue in logical fallacy is mixing up effects and causes. So, problem identification isn't merely about connecting dots using data and tools, but also matching data with real practical experience and real circumstances. Hastily drawing conclusions can lead to oversimplifying complex issues. Therefore, in problem identification, it's also crucial to minimize logical fallacies.

One thing I found useful is to "visualize the end at the beginning" provided that the vision regarding what we want to achieve is very clear. If vision is poor people involved especially when brainstorming happens might divert the discussion and others may get carried away leading to confusions

Define the problem by breaking it down. Sales is slow. Are we not getting enough leads? Or are the leads we are getting not converting into customers? Or are our customers not buying enough? Once we know the problem, we can start to develop strategies to solve it.

Brainstorm without judgment. The goal of brainstorming is to come up with as many ideas as possible, no matter how crazy they seem. Don't worry about criticizing or evaluating your ideas at this stage. Just keep generating ideas and exploring possibilities. The more ideas you generate, the more likely you are to come up with a creative solution. So don't be afraid to think outside the box. Even if an idea seems silly or nonsensical, write it down anyway. You can always discard it later if you need to. The filtering stage comes later. Once you've generated a list of ideas, you can start to evaluate them and narrow them down. But for now, just focus on brainstorming and generating as many ideas as possible.

Identifying problems in decision-making processes for an organization involves engaging stakeholders, analyzing data, and using tools like process mapping and SWOT analysis. It requires a proactive approach, continuous monitoring, and learning from past failures to ensure that the decision-making process remains effective and aligned with organizational goals.

I was recently working on a project to improve the customer service process for our company. After defining the problem, the next step was to generate as many possible solutions as I could. I used a variety of techniques, including brainstorming, mind mapping, and SCAMPER. I learned that generating alternatives is an important part of the problem-solving process. By exploring different perspectives and generating a variety of ideas, you can increase your chances of finding a solution that works.

There's many ways to skin a cat. This is also true for how you decide to brainstorm, however, you are constrained by time like anyone else with a lifespan. You need to decide how much time you want to spend on coming up with possible solutions for your problem. It's not about having the right one, but about having rich choices to eliminate from. It's also important not to do this alone. Another perspective will cover your blind spots and free you up to think of more ways to tackle the problem. Finally, make sure to check your assumptions on each solution. Ensure that the solution can be tracked and measured and more importantly, replicated.

I found that my perspective on most problems and hence their solutions is limited to 'my view' so I prefer to involve others, gather their input and fresh perspectives.

Alternatives generated may be too many in numbers. It's important which alternatives we take to next steps. One good way I found was to rate each alternative on a scale of 1 to 10 where 1 is low and 10 is high for its significance with the help of same team members who brainstormed to generate alternatives. We can then choose top rated few alternatives and evaluate further for implementation possibilities

You can also use fmea analysis by giving scores to each valuation point and compare each alternative against the score charts

Another use in this category is weighing the evidence. We look at the options previously generated and analyze them against the scope. Using the tools prescribed, you want to assess the cost. Remind your team, "Nope, can't do it" is not helpful - what is the cost for choosing this option vice the others? What is the risk involved? Minimize, mitigate, or avoid the risks (and costs to some degree) and choose the best fit for your problem.

I was recently working on a project to improve the customer service process for our company. After defining the problem and generating a list of possible solutions, the next step was to evaluate the alternatives. I learned that evaluating alternatives is an important part of the decision-making process. By carefully considering the criteria, the constraints, the risks, and the trade-offs of each alternative, you can make more informed and objective decisions.

This is an interesting thought - it also feels like a waterfall approach to decision making (though I am not discounting the value of creating such a list). One could reframe 'alternatives' to 'experiments' as to make a list of what different experiments could be taken to inform, or reduce the size of decision to be taken.

I learned that implementing the decision is an important part of the decision-making process. By carefully planning and executing the implementation, you can turn your ideas into reality and achieve your desired outcomes.

In my opinion even before defining the problem, you should identify the objective of the decision making process. By defining the objective of the decision, you would be understanding the desired outcome. For example. The decision making process should reduce the time taken to decide on which debtors to pay and what percentage of the debt to pay if the entire debt can not be liquidated. Ideally, this process should be utilized to maximize effectiveness of that payment exercise and reduce the time required for process. To this end, efficiency and the level of seniority required to execute the decision via the process should be considered when developing the process.

Yes, clarity around direction raises alignment which in turn increases commitment. Web based tools are great because access and exchanging with both teams and customers is more efficient 👌

I feel that developing a decision-making process that allows for periodic review and adjustment is crucial for achieving goals. This adaptability ensures that as circumstances change, you can fine-tune your decisions to stay on course, address emerging challenges, and remain in harmony with your organizational values, ultimately increasing the likelihood of long-term success. Organizational decision-making has to be flexible to allow for the evaluation of decisions' impact and the adjustment of strategies to adapt to changing circumstances. Flexibility enables organizations to stay responsive, seize new opportunities, mitigate risks, and ultimately optimize outcomes in a dynamic environment like the aviation industry.

I learned that reviewing the decision and its consequences is an important part of the decision-making process. By reflecting on the decision, I can identify what went well, what could be improved, and what I can learn from the experience. This will help me to make better decisions in the future.

This is the step most people forget to perform. One should try to - evaluate the implemented decision in increments. Change takes time and evaluating it throughout its adoption curve can show its true value.

Two valuable decision making tips: 1. Review your values. In my experience decision making demonstrates values in action. When we understand the purpose of our work through clear vision and values, we are better equipped to fulfil its mission through our actions and decisions. For this reason, seeking employment in agencies who’s values resonate with you, and whose mission extends your personal passions is critical to professional satisfaction. 2. Collaborate. While some decisions must be made alone, there is value in considering diverse perspectives and outcomes related to the decision. Understanding the needs and desires of the client, staff, stakeholders and the community at large may help to inform decision making processes.

Ensure that your ego or personal preferences don't cloud your judgment. At times, the drive to validate our own beliefs / ambition can result in biased justifications, ultimately leading to decisions that fail to meet the requirements and carry potential risks. Thus, it's crucial to thoroughly assess whether your judgment remains objective or is influenced by ego before reaching a final decision. This is where your real-world experience accumulation and wisdom become crucial. Because after all, as a leader, our ego definitely our enemy.

Especially in group decisions, the actual process of “Making the Decision” is a critical step. Power-dynamics, “Group Think,” politics, and knowledge asymmetries all affect the actual decision. Organizations need to implement processes that protect against these group biases such as: most powerful/senior person speaks last, secret votes or anonymized evaluations, clear decision making criteria and assigned devil’s advocates can all help in the actual process of choosing between options.

I believe that the classic or conventional decision-making models are mute on the trade-off between the amount of information gathered to evaluate alternatives and the time and cost of delaying making the decision. At this stage, a few things start to work in your favour. Experience, feelings, gut instinct, and other factors are crucial in decision-making. I'm from Sri Lanka, and I take into account all of these things in addition to astrology and other related factors. It's an interesting field to research or work in. So it’s not always the fish-bone diagrams and decision making models which make business happen… there is a lot more to it…

Drawing a decision tree and get key users to feedback if it's effective in improving decision making process, and provide ideas / suggestions to improve it further. This can quickly eliminate blind spots and increase buy-in when key users actively involved in the process.