7 Steps of the Decision Making Process
| 5 Min Read
In general, the decision making process helps managers and other business professionals solve problems by examining choices and deciding on the best route to take. Using a step-by-step approach is an efficient way to make thoughtful, informed decisions that positively impact your organization’s short- and long-term goals.
The business decision making process is commonly divided into seven steps. Managers may utilize many of these steps without realizing it, but gaining a clearer understanding of best practices can improve the effectiveness of your decisions.
Steps of the Decision Making Process
The following are the seven key steps of the decision making process.
1. Identify the decision
The first step in making the right decision is recognizing the problem or opportunity and deciding to address it. Determine why this decision will benefit your customers or fellow employees.
2. Gather information
Next, it’s time to gather information so that you can make a decision based on facts and data. This requires making a value judgment, determining what information is relevant to the decision, and how you can get it. Ask yourself what you need to know to make the right decision, then actively seek out anyone who needs to be involved.
“Managers seek out a range of information to clarify their options once they have identified an issue that requires a decision. Managers may seek to determine potential causes of a problem, the people and processes involved in the issue, and any constraints placed on the decision-making process,” according to Chron Small Business.
3. Identify alternatives
Once you have a clear understanding of the issue, it’s time to identify the various solutions at your disposal. You likely have many options when deciding, so it is essential to come up with a range of options. This helps you determine which course of action is the best way to achieve your objective.
4. Weigh the evidence
In this step, according to management experts Phil Higson and Anthony Sturgess, you’ll need to “evaluate for feasibility, acceptability and desirability” to know which alternative is best. Managers need to be able to weigh the pros and cons, then select the option that has the highest chance of success. It may be helpful to seek a trusted second opinion to gain a new perspective on the issue.
5. Choose among alternatives
When it’s time to make your decision, be sure you understand the risks involved with your chosen route. You may also select a combination of alternatives now that you fully grasp all relevant information and potential risks.
6. Take action
Next, you’ll need to create an implementation plan. This involves identifying what resources are required and gaining support from employees and stakeholders. Getting others on board with your decision is a key component of executing your plan effectively, so be prepared to address any questions or concerns.
7. Review your decision
An often-overlooked but important step in the decision making process is evaluating your decision for effectiveness. Ask yourself what you did well and what can be improved next time.
If your decision didn’t work out the way you planned, you may want to revisit some of the previous steps to identify a better choice.
Common Challenges of Decision Making
Although following the steps outlined above will help you make more effective decisions, there are some pitfalls to look out for. Here are common challenges you may face and best practices to help you avoid them.
- Having too much or not enough information. Gathering relevant information is key when approaching the decision making process, but it’s important to identify how much background information is truly required. “An overload of information can leave you confused and misguided, and prevents you from following your intuition,” according to Corporate Wellness Magazine.
In addition, relying on one single source of information can lead to bias and misinformation, which can have disastrous effects down the line.
- Misidentifying the problem. In many cases, the issues surrounding your decision will be obvious. However, there will be times when the decision is complex and you aren’t sure where the main issue lies. Conduct thorough research and speak with internal experts who experience the problem firsthand to mitigate this. Corporate Wellness Magazine says it will save you time and resources in the long run.
- Overconfidence in the outcome. Even if you follow the steps of the decision making process, there is still a chance that the outcome won’t be exactly what you had in mind. That’s why it’s so important to identify a valid option that is plausible and achievable. Being overconfident in an unlikely outcome can lead to adverse results.
Decision making is a vital skill in the business workplace, particularly for managers and those in leadership positions. Following a logical procedure like the one outlined here and being aware of common challenges can help ensure both thoughtful decision making and positive results.
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