Happy Monday! Are you facing any big decisions? Use these six steps to ensure you’re making the best decision possible.

Let’s say you need to make a recommendation on a key design element for your project this week. As you make your way home, you have an internal debate on how best to approach this decision. Do you trust “your gut”?  Do you go with your experience? Is there more of a proven process to follow when making tough decisions?

It turns out there is! There is actually a field of academic study focused on quality decision making as well as the Society of Decision Professionals which helps promote the processes.

Here are six steps to follow when making a decision:

  1. Frame the Decision Appropriately – Focus in on the specific decision to be made.
  2. Be Clear About the Goals – Be clear about the outcome priorities.
  3. Develop Options – List out the doable alternatives.
  4. Gather Useful Information – What do you know and what do you need to know.
  5. Weigh the Evidence and Choose the Best – Objectively look at the value of each alternative and choose the best one.
  6. Commit to Action – Make your idea a reality with the right plan and resources.

Professor Steve Begg of the University of Adelaide adds, “The outcomes of most major decisions are affected by all kinds of uncertainties the decision-maker cannot control, so the outcome cannot be predicted with certainty – good decisions can have bad outcomes and vice versa.”

The above might seem obvious, however, when faced with a difficult decision, a defined process can help you think through the mental morass and make the best decision.

Read the full article here!