Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/21725
of making good decisions and influencing others to make good decisions. The synopses provided here are the jumping off points for our reflection on this subject. They support the thesis that not only is the substance of decisions the foundation of good business, but solid decision-making processes are just as crucial to success. MAKING GOOD DECISIONS Decisions, even simple ones, can be difficult to make. When comparing multiple products, services, approaches or projects, dissimilar factors, competing forces and uncertainty can make for a stressful decision-making process. This often leads to mediocre decisions in which even the decision maker has minimal confidence. In “Smart Choices: A Practical Guide to Making Better Life Decisions,” authors John Hammond, Ralph Keeney, and Howard Raiffa set out a structured process for analyzing choices so that, more often than not, you will make sound, confident decisions. By following their process repeatedly, for both small and large decisions, you will sharpen your decision-making skills so that you make better choices more easily. The authors formulated the following PrOACT approach for making decisions: identify the right problem, clarify your objectives, imagine the alternatives, recognize the consequences and evaluate the trade-offs. • Identify the Right Problem Choosing the right starting point for your decision- making is just as crucial as choosing the right solution to your problem. Is the question, which data storage vendor should I choose? Or is it, should we buy more storage or reduce the amount of data we store? Even if you know the cheapest, most reliable, easiest- to-manage data storage product, it may be that the better decision for your organization is not to increase storage capacity, but to slow the process of data growth by deleting existing data and producing less new data — both of which would lead to completely different future actions and projects than buying a new product. • Clarify Your Objectives Write your objectives down, say them out loud and share them with others. Understand your objectives fully before analyzing any decision. For example, if a firm is considering the question of whether to open a new office in Chicago, there can be two equally correct answers: yes and no. If a law firm’s objective is to increase the number of its clients, then expanding into new territories could be just right. If, instead, the law firm’s objective is to get a broader range of work from fewer clients, then it may want to focus its resources on client service and marketing initiatives with larger, existing clients, rather than on opening new offices. • Imagine the Alternatives Alternatives represent your options for reaching your objectives. To create your list of alternatives, brainstorm on your own, and consult others for their suggestions. Based on individual experience, each person will undoubtedly have new alternatives or different nuances to offer. You do not need to identify every possible alternative; but, in order to support a solid decision-making process, you www.iltanet.org ILTA’s Greatest Hits 15