You should remember though that there are weaknesses too, and in some cases lists just can’t help you make that decision. If I find a reason pro equal to some two reasons con, I strike out the three. If the ‘cons’ outweigh the ‘pros’, you might still feel that this is the correct decision to make (see Intuitive decision making). Similar techniques include the plus/minus/interesting (PMI) technique and force field analysis. However, ask yourself how important the individual points are. You can follow an example and read about the pros and cons of decision making process grids here . However, the Benjamin-Franklin method is most suitable for close-ended questions. . A logical step that you already know from the standard pros-and-cons list: on the left you list the advantages, on the right, the arguments that speak against it. It should, since it’s basically the pros and cons list. This may be because some of the items have more weight in your mind than others or there might be some hidden ‘pros’ and ‘cons’ which have not risen to your conscious mind as … On the left, list the arguments in favor of the decision (Pros). Do not intentionally polarize participants. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! This website uses cookies and third party services. A simple process for decision-making is to compile a 'weighted' scored , of 'pros and cons' list.Pro means 'for', and con means 'against' - i.e., advantages and disadvantages.For more complex decisions, several options can be assessed against differing significant criteria, or against a single set of important factors. Terrence Metz, CSM, PSPO, CSPF, is the Managing Director of MG RUSH Facilitation Training and Coaching, the acknowledged leader in structured facilitation training. There are some advantages and disadvantages and disadvantages that are associated with planning as listed below. Planning is a fundamental part of everyday life. You have probably already created a pros-and-cons list: People have always had to make decisions. Good example: Should I accept the new job offer? Required fields are marked *. These decision making tools and techniques allow for a step by step comparison of each option versus each factor and a simple method of reaching a logical and rational decision. This is where Benjamin Franklin’s method may help you! We’ll also briefly look at any pros and cons that are worth mentioning. Taught by world-class instructors, MG RUSH  professional facilitation curriculum focuses on practice. Learn how your comment data is processed. Delete the arguments with the same low score. Home / Strategy / Pros-and-Cons: An approach for decision-making. I tend to agree with James’ assessment. Additionally, in business, not every factor, department, person or decision in an organization is equally important. There are a variety of decision-making techniques. This method is particularly useful in group decision making, when team members favor a certain idea, point of view, or plan. Weighing up pros and cons can speed up the decision-making process, improve your understanding of the situation, and help you avoid decision-making paralysis. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The techniques are: 1. Again, you can assign points from 1-10, where 1 is extremely unlikely and 10 is extremely certain. Your email address will not be published. These are questions to which you can answer with Yes or No. Decision-Making: Technique # 1. So, double check. Register for a class or forward this to someone who should. for or against the measure. However, many people struggle with identifying the advantages and disadvantages of a decision. You … Make the decision 5. 6 Pros and Cons of Brainstorming. Thanks, your information is quite cutting-edge, so I like it. There is hardly an easier method than the good old pros-and-cons list to make decisions. This defined process also provides an opportunity, at the end, to review whether the decision was the right one. These low-ranking items may be important in themselves, but do not play a critical role in the decision-making process. A good place to start is our interactive quiz to understand how good your decision making is. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Analyze the decision you made (i.e. “For pros and cons, my way is to divide half a sheet of paper by a line into two columns; writing over the one pro, and over the other con; then during three or four days’ consideration, I put down under the different heads short hints of the different motives, that at different times occur to me. Don't forget: in the end, despite all the analyses, the gut feeling can still help decide! His clients include Agilists, Scrum teams, program and project managers, senior officers, and the business analyst community among numerous private and public companies and global corporations. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Game Theory 9. Employ your final decision 6. 1. If so, spread the process over the next few days. Break-Even Analysis 4. Pros-and-Cons: An approach for decision-making. Ensure that your teams comprise participants who hold a variety of views. You will finally have something tangible & worth scrutiny! This can be a clear indication of your decision. In most debates, the side one takes is not known until minutes before the debate, so that all debaters prepare to argue both sides of an issue. Use it as a proxy for Benjamin Franklin’s Pros and Cons method. Marginal Analysis 2. It encourages each person to consider other perspectives, and it can help yo… So, take your calculator or create an Excel spreadsheet to calculate the products of these numerical values. His approach is better suited for an individual than a group of people. Don’t ruin your career or reputation with bad meetings. 2. By weighing the pros and cons of the situation, you are likely to feel more in control of your decisions. If so, trust your gut feeling! We make decisions all the time. Both strategies involve weighing pros and cons, and both use quantitative information to guide the decision-making process. But this approach has its rewards. Have the teams present their arguments to the observer team formally—as if it were a debate or court of law. Each student thoroughly practices and rehearses tools, methods, and approaches throughout the week. Consensus decision-making can cause a group to agree to the lowest common denominator—a solution or decision that satisfies the team members' need to agree—but is definitely not optimal for the business. 3. In 1772, the theologian Joseph Priestley, having heard of his successful method for complex decisions, asked Benjamin Franklin for advice. There is also a theory which says that the larger a group gets, the less is the individual contribution from each member. If the discussion reaches an impasse, switch members among different teams, carefully placing louder voices on the teams opposite of their apparent voice, so they are forced to represent the “other” side. The brain will rattle even more! You have created the list. Give the affirmative and dismissive teams each fifteen minutes to develop their arguments, respectively supporting or refuting the issue. Individual decision making saves time, money and energy as individuals make prompt and logical decisions generally. Yet, the whole thing doesn’t feel helpful than before. Pros: When employees are involved in the decision making process, they feel empowered and are more likely to see it through to fruition. To safely argue a controversial issue, carefully (and with advanced forethought about the options for either a homogeneous, heterogeneous, or hybrid blend of teams) separate your participants into three teams: Affirmative, Dismissive, and Observer. Franklin’s letter to Priestley appears to have been the birth of this decision-making method. MG RUSH offers a variety of training options, from monthly LIVE ONLINE facilitation trainings, to Public IN-PERSON classes and PRIVATE CUSTOMIZED TRAINING to fit you or your organization’s needs. However, one column is significantly longer than the other. What is the importance of the pros compared to the importance of the cons? Pros and cons Decision making process grids come into their own when the decision is complex with many possible outcomes and several different criteria to take into consideration. How to Facilitate Group or Team Decisions Using Pros and Cons. (See individual class descriptions for details.). What good is it if you have 10 pros, but that one con gives you a ton of headache? Luckily we have simple tools to help. You can view my Resume here or connect with me on LinkedIn. Each person has the opportunity to contribute their perspectives and experiences to the greater conversation. Nevertheless, you should be extremely careful here not to have attributes a wrong importance or probability. © Morgan Madison & Co., DBA MG RUSH 2020 / MGRush.com/blog, Compelling observations about structured, facilitative leadership, Live Online or On-site | Facilitation Training to Fit Your Needs, Sign up now for Facilitation Best Practices Monthly Digest, Change or Die, The Business Process Improvement Manual, Compelling Observations About Structured, Facilitative Leadership. Decision-making tools and techniques to help you make well-informed decisions faster. Sounds like a pros-and-cons list, doesn’t it? It is not only important to plan but it is essential to ensure that everything that is planned goes according to plan. Want a free 10-minute break timer? Is the expensive Caribbean vacation a good idea? IMO, formulating a pros/cons list can be a good method to get one’s thoughts on paper, but I don’t like to use them for decision-making purposes for all the reasons mentioned above in the comments. Even though the ‘pros’ significantly outweigh the ‘cons’, you might still feel hesitant about taking the decision. When one person makes a decision, there will be several others within the organization that will question the methods and logic behind it. In this article, we’re going to run through five of the most used agile estimation techniques. For example, you may want to kick out half the low-ranking scores to arrive at the selection set. Decision making is a big part of life, but how do you know when you've made the right choice? Pros: 1. These questions can also help you further: I am Mithun Sridharan, the Founder & Author of Think Insights and INTRVU. Then use our resources on decision-making models to understand different approaches, and how they apply to … Similarly, list the arguments against it (Cons) on the right. Effectiveness On a general scale group (1) Pro & Con First, the […] When decision making, there are many steps that can be taken; but when making good decisions there are really only five steps that need to be considered. Modern Franklin Pros and Cons. By involving more people in the process, then there is a greater sense of ownership of the ultimate decision … Can you manage to have all the arguments in your head at the same time? Furthermore, this approach also adds a visual dimension to help facilitate the decision-making process. However, many of us find it difficult to do so. The process described by Franklin goes as follows: 1. Cons: They might struggle to make decisions on their own. How Facilitated Leadership Can Help You Overcome 7 Common Project Pitfalls, 9 Tips Proven to Increase Meeting Competence and Output Quality, How to Help Your Meeting Participants Become Better Listeners, Leadership Style Depends on Source of Ideas & Solution Ownership, Taking Charge of Poorly Led Meetings When You are Not the Leader, Affirmative and dismissive teams prepare for two-minute rebuttals to defend their, Teams take another five minutes to revise their. A decisional balance sheet or decision balance sheet is a tabular method for representing the pros and cons of different choices and for helping someone decide what to do in a certain circumstance. In a letter, he described his method: To get over this, my way is, to divide half a sheet of paper by a line into two columns, writing over the one pro, and over the other con. Are there any factors that feel important despite conflicting numbers. From now on try to quantify the impact using concrete numbers. Waiting-line Method 8. Decision Tree. Define the problem or decision to be made 2. The business decision-making process is a step-by-step process allowing professionals to solve problems by weighing evidence, examining alternatives, and choosing a path from there. As session leader (ie, both facilitator and methodologist), select the teams—do not allow the participants to choose. The group decision making process is less efficient from a timing perspective because there are multiple voices involved. Making the right choice can be obvious, and sometimes it requires time invested in thought. It takes more time to reach a decision when using this process. Next, try to predict the possibility of the individual items (pros & cons) materializing. Next . According to the Benjamin Franklin method, take your time, especially when it comes to making an important decision. Does the decision-making process recommended by Franklin sound familiar? Operations Research Techniques 6. Now it’s time to simplify! How are the ratings of importance and probability distributed? His FAST Facilitation Best Practices blog features over 300 articles on facilitation skills and tools aimed at helping others lead faster, more productive meetings and workshops that yield higher quality decisions. Though the weight of reasons cannot be taken with the precision of algebraic quantities, yet, when each is thus considered separately and comparatively, and the whole lies before me, I think I can judge better and am less likely to make a rash step; and in fact I have found great advantage from this kind of equation, in what may be called moral or prudential algebra.”. Learning Objectives. I need to consider my values and have a method to weigh out all of the considerations. Recommended by Franklin sound familiar long and confusing, decision-making techniques pros and cons the pairs that only match the. 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