Top of this morning’s google search of ‘decision making’ brings up the totally sensible, totally logical 7 step model:
1) Identify the decision
2) Gather information
3) Identify alternatives
4) Weigh the evidence
5) Choose among alternatives
6) Take action
7) Review the decision
As if.
Let’s be honest, this is not how humans work. And even if they did, real business contexts often do not allow for this type of process to take place.
Real decision-making can often be a fuzzy, ambiguous, fluid, organic and emotional activity. When we make decisions we will all bring our own unique combination of head, heart and gut. Heads bring knowledge, opinions, questions and logic. Heart brings conscience, ethics, sympathy and personal incentives. Gut brings instincts, experience and an eye for risk.
Bringing Data to the table can provide information and frameworks that allow for the best of what our heads, hearts, and guts can provide with curiosity, structure, measurement, assessment, critical thinking and insight. An insightful approach brings the art and science of decision-making together.
How can we make really good decisions?
With our heads, hearts, guts and data.
Rachel Loves Data 