Wade HarshmanScrum Master| GDITIndianapolis, In, United States
In real life? Some of the most difficult decisions come when there's no clearly wrong answer. In those situations, it's often more important to make a decision than to keep deliberating. Far too often, decision makers get stuck in analysis paralysis, searching for more time and data to help them choose the perfect answer. They don't realize that the lack of a decision is at least as damaging as their worst decision.
(As Project Managers, we often find ourselves in the role of the data collector. The decision maker wants us to find more data to help them make a decision. It's uncomfortable, but sometimes you have to press for a decision. I always keep a decision coin in my pocket, ready to flip it if that's what it takes.)
If you're a lucky decision maker, you'll find an option that has some sort of advantage, such as cost, flexibility, or quick feedback- especially if it's a complex problem. But generally speaking, once you choose a solution, stick to it- unless that early feedback tells you otherwise.
Real world metaphor: you're taking a team out to lunch. There are several places you could take them to (multiple solutions), and no one on the team indicates a preference. At that point, it's less important to choose the best restaurant and more important to choose any restaurant. And once you choose, stick to your decision. If you change your decision, you'll spend the entire lunch break commuting to different locations, and your team will never get to eat. Saving Changes...
Anton OosthuizenSenior Business Analyst / Project Manager| Self EmployedPretoria, Gauteng, South Africa
Any option should be presented with the pros and cons and this is the same if there are multiple options, and even if there is only one option that is not strictly true because the status quo is also an option i.e. there will most likely be a minimum of two options. For each option present the advantages it would bring but also the disadvantages. If the cons outweigh the pros then the option would most likely eliminate itself. If there is more than one option where the pros outweigh the cons you need to look at how well each aligns with the end objectives/goals. Use approaches such as cost/benefit analysis and/or systems thinking. Saving Changes...
Every problem has multiple solutions if you consider solutions not just with regards the general approach, but also at the detail level and execution.
Before you can determine a best solution, first you must define "best", as in what qualities differentiate a good solution from a poor one. Any sort of model where you are ranking multiple possible solutions based on a set of criteria to down-select your preferred solution is doing exactly that. Saving Changes...
Depends on the context you are facing. If time is tight, you may have to leverage the wisdom of the stakeholders to pick what appears to be the best choice whereas if you have more time, there might be the ability to run an experiment to see if what you believe to be the best choice really is...
Kiron Saving Changes...
Peter RapinSubject Matter Expect; Project Delivery| Independent ConsultantOntario, Canada
Fully agree with the previous comments - every problem has multiple solutions and your job is to narrow it down to a workable solution. It doesn't have to be the best but the solution has to have a probability of success.
Deciding on a workable solution is only the start, you also have to determine the risk (as most solutions are not perfect), prepare mitigating measures, implement the preferred solution, monitor and adjust.
Sometimes you have to 'sell' your solution to others. If you are trying to sell it to me, don't just tell me its 'the best', show me that you have extended your solution to include risk mitigation and followup..
Your services are going to be in high demand if your the rare person that finds the one and only correct solution that requires no followup. Saving Changes...
Tarek ZakyProgram Manager| International Turnkey SystemsGiza, Giza, Egypt
There is a well known mathematical method to choose the best solution, it is called DAR , and steps as following, you can research more to have a template to use from the internet :
1-Establish selection criteria for evaluating alternative solutions such as save time, save cost , better quality and other goals like customer satisfaction
2- Rate each solution based on each selection criteria
3-Select best solution from the alternatives based on the sum of the ratings for each solution (the best solution who will take the highest rate)
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1 reply by Peter Rapin
Jul 29, 2021 10:56 AM
Peter Rapin
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DAR - Decision Analysis and Resolution. Typically this method is used informally for most decisions. Its just a matter of formalising the process. There are a couple of drawbacks here: 1) it can become very subjective or used to rationalise a personal preference rather than determining the best solution, and 2) it is easy to miss critical criteria. You mention time, cost and quality but risk is of concern as well. Each solution has a different probability of success, however that is defined.
There can be another concern in that the drive to achieve the perfect solution results in "decision constipation". I have seen that in too many organisations.especially as different people have different ideas as to criteria and weighting.
Saving Changes...
Peter RapinSubject Matter Expect; Project Delivery| Independent ConsultantOntario, Canada
Jul 29, 2021 10:06 AM
Replying to Tarek Zaky
...
There is a well known mathematical method to choose the best solution, it is called DAR , and steps as following, you can research more to have a template to use from the internet :
1-Establish selection criteria for evaluating alternative solutions such as save time, save cost , better quality and other goals like customer satisfaction
2- Rate each solution based on each selection criteria
3-Select best solution from the alternatives based on the sum of the ratings for each solution (the best solution who will take the highest rate)
DAR - Decision Analysis and Resolution. Typically this method is used informally for most decisions. Its just a matter of formalising the process. There are a couple of drawbacks here: 1) it can become very subjective or used to rationalise a personal preference rather than determining the best solution, and 2) it is easy to miss critical criteria. You mention time, cost and quality but risk is of concern as well. Each solution has a different probability of success, however that is defined.
There can be another concern in that the drive to achieve the perfect solution results in "decision constipation". I have seen that in too many organisations.especially as different people have different ideas as to criteria and weighting.
...
1 reply by Tarek Zaky
Jul 29, 2021 12:18 PM
Tarek Zaky
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Regarding the selection criteria it could be anything that the team agree to be selection criteria not only cost or time or quality.
I agree that DAR can be a way to choose prefered solution for someone, that's why the weight of the selection criteria and rating input should be from different subject matter experts individually and then averages of weights taken and the same for rating inputs.
If we do DAR the way above the decision selection won't be subjective
Saving Changes...
Tarek ZakyProgram Manager| International Turnkey SystemsGiza, Giza, Egypt
Jul 29, 2021 10:56 AM
Replying to Peter Rapin
...
DAR - Decision Analysis and Resolution. Typically this method is used informally for most decisions. Its just a matter of formalising the process. There are a couple of drawbacks here: 1) it can become very subjective or used to rationalise a personal preference rather than determining the best solution, and 2) it is easy to miss critical criteria. You mention time, cost and quality but risk is of concern as well. Each solution has a different probability of success, however that is defined.
There can be another concern in that the drive to achieve the perfect solution results in "decision constipation". I have seen that in too many organisations.especially as different people have different ideas as to criteria and weighting.
Regarding the selection criteria it could be anything that the team agree to be selection criteria not only cost or time or quality.
I agree that DAR can be a way to choose prefered solution for someone, that's why the weight of the selection criteria and rating input should be from different subject matter experts individually and then averages of weights taken and the same for rating inputs.
If we do DAR the way above the decision selection won't be subjective Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
First thing is to understand if a problem exists. Problem is the gap between the perceived reality and the desire reality then you can work on the perception, on the desire or on the gap. I followed Donald C. Gause and Gerald M. Weinberg way of thinking and it worked for me do not waste time in something that is not a problem at all. Saving Changes...
