According to UGC report, every year approximately 77,000 scholars are enrolling for PhD research programs in India. but only 1/3rd of them successfully complete the doctorate every year (Marg, 2015). This result clearly indicates the difficulty and standard of evaluation of this program, so it is necessary that the scholar thoroughly analyze and select a good PhD research topic before plunging into the research work. There are many methodologies and techniques introduced over a period for effective selection and decision making in various field. Data Driven Decision Making which is also referred as Data Based Decision Making is a modern method which was found to be effective and efficient for strategic and systematic development and decision making. So, this article summarizes the framework, effectiveness, benefits of DDDM in selection of Research topics for the PhD scholars. For more Details:- UK: +44 7424997337 Email : info@phdassistance.com

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Developing a Phd Research Topic for Your Research: How Data Driven
Decision-Making Helps
Dr. Nancy Agens, Head,
Technical Operations, Phdassistance
info@phdassistance.com
Keywords: Dissertation Topic Selection,
Best Research Thesis Topic, Computing
Dissertation Topic Selection, Phd Statistics
Topic Selection Support.
I. INTRODUCTION
According to UGC report, every year
approximately 77,000 scholars are enrolling
for PhD research programs in India. but only
1/3rd
of them successfully complete the
doctorate every year (Marg, 2015). This
result clearly indicates the difficulty and
standard of evaluation of this program, so it
is necessary that the scholar thoroughly
analyse and select a good PhD research topic
before plunging into the research work.
There are many methodologies and
techniques introduced over a period for
effective selection and decision making in
various field. Data Driven Decision Making
which is also referred as Data Based
Decision Making is a modern method which
was found to be effective and efficient for
strategic and systematic development and
decision making. So, this article summarizes
the framework, effectiveness, benefits of
DDDM in selection of Research topics for
the PhD scholars.
II. DATA DRIVEN DECISION MAKING
Due to spontaneous growth and
development in the modern technology,
demand for a strong decision-making
method arises. To tackle this issue, Data
Driven Decision-Making method was
introduced. This DDDM works in such a
way that every decision made is backed up
by the acquired data rather than making
decisions purely based on observation. This
method processes the data and predicts the
course of action before committing to it.
When compared to intuitive and gut
decisions, DDDM is safe, strategic, and
systematic. This modern method plays a
vital role in various sectors such as business
firm, management sectors, educational
institutions, research units etc (Wohlstetter,
Datnow, & Park, 2008).
The above figure illustrates the basic
guideline for DDDM method, and these are
the follows steps to be followed for effective
selection and precise decision making (Lam,
2018).
 Collect: All relevant data, raw primary
source information and the secondary
research is carried out and recorded in
this phase.
 Analyse: Simple quantitative and
qualitative analysis is carried out to find
links and similarities between each data
source.
 Validate: Referring the acquired data
with various data source to find its
nature and predict the course of action.
 Act: Based on the results obtained from
the previous steps, a proper data driven
decision is made for future use.

2. Copyright © 2020 PhdAssistance. All rights reserved 2
Fig 1. Guideline for DDDM Method
III. FRAMEWORK OF DATA DRIVEN
DECISION MAKING
This section elaborates the
Framework of Data Driven Decision Making
exclusively for a PhD research scholar. The
basic idea of the framework is mostly
common for any sector and this consist of
five detailed steps to achieve the desired
goal (Babarskaite & Truuverk, 2019; Li,
Wang, Sun, Zhang, & Chen, 2019).
1. Problem statement
2. Critical analysis
3. In-depth insight
4. Test phase
5. Results
IV. BENEFITS OF DATA DRIVEN
DECISION MAKING FOR PHD
RESEARCH SCHOLARS
 Objective process: the results or
decisions made by this method is purely

3. Copyright © 2020 PhdAssistance. All rights reserved 3
based on the data and statistics obtained
during the literature survey phase. The
decision is not influenced by opinion,
gut feeling etc. So, the scholar has
evidential data to support every
legitimate decision and action carried out
throughout the project (Improving
Schools With Data, 2020) .
 Facilitates greater control: since the
scholar collects and analyses all the
viable data and resources for the project
during the initially phase. The scholar
exactly knows whether it is possible to
complete the research work or not. So,
by employing this method the scholar
can select the research topic effectively
and save a lot of time.
 Promotes transparency: this method
purely relies on the available data and
information in finalising a decision. So,
there is no room for manipulation in this
method. Thus, DDDM is considered as
effective and transparent method used
for decision making (Heilig, 2014).
 Increases Agility: the scholar exactly
knows all the opportunities and
outcomes well before the experimentally
analysis phase. So, this method neatly
sketches down all the opportunities to
the scholar and better insights towards
the outcome of the project.
 Builds confidence and consistency:
since the scholar has a clear
understanding and in-depth insight over
the topic and the decisions made. This
results in better performance,
consistency, and confidence. In addition
to it, this method is found to be less time
consuming and more efficient when
compared to other conventional methods
(Softjourn, 2020).
V. SUCCESSFUL OUTCOMES OF DATA
DRIVEN DECISION MAKING IN
VARIOUS SECTOR
1. Education
According to the Filderman, Toste,
Didion, Peng, and Clemens, (2018) journal
article on DBDM in reading interventions,
clearly indicates the effectiveness of this
method in education sector. Since the central
idea of DDDM is oriented towards
individual performance data and
development, this method is found to be
successful in educational institutes. The
scholarly literature review reveals the list of
struggling readers from grades k-12 in an
educational institute using data-based
decision making and the teachers were able
to find an alternative teaching technique to
help the listed students. With the help of
DDDM, teachers can easily monitor the
individual performance of all the students
(Marsh, Pane, & Hamilton, 2006).
2. Marketing and Management
Walmart, an American multinational
corporation which operates nearly 11,484
hypermarkets across the global with approx.
2.2 million employees used this process for
emergency merchandise during Hurricane
Frances in 2004, as The NY Times reported.
The analysts dogged the customer history
and the record of past purchases to figure
out the type of merchandise to be stocked
before the storm.
Thus, Walmart made great profit by
anticipating demand in the year 2004. This
incident is a solid proof for the importance
of DDDM in marketing sector (Durcevic,
2019).
3. Aviation Industry

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The competition and transaction
involved in aviation industry is
comparatively larger than the other
industries. So Southwest Airlines executives
studied the customer data to gain larger
perspective of customers requirement and
addition of new service which would be
popular as well as profitable. In course the
times, the airline observed and analysed
their costumer’s online behaviours and their
needs which resulted in exemplary level of
customer experience.
As the result of DDDM, Southwest
airlines has its own customer base and
standard which reflected a steady growth in
the subsequent years (Durcevic, 2019).
VI. CONCLUSION
Data plays a vital role in determining
the overall performance of the organisation.
So, it is highly important to make use of the
potential data for the development. It is
conclusive that data driven decision making
helps the PhD scholar in developing and
selecting a Best Research Thesis topic for
his/her research work. Moreover, the
framework of this system helps the scholar
to critical analysis and making decisions
solemnly based on analysed data. So, this
results in clear objective, greater control,
promotes transparency, builds confidence
and consistency. Hence, DDDM
methodology is found to be effective and
high beneficial irrespective of the sectors.
REFERENCE
[1] Babarskaite, S., & Truuverk, K. (2019). Data-Driven
Decision Making Framework And Its Application In
Estonian Startup Scene (Estonian Business School).
Retrieved from https://www.invicta.ee/wp-
content/uploads/2019/07/Kristiina_Truuverk_Sigita_
Babarskaite.pdf
[2] Durcevic, S. (2019). Why Data Driven Decision
Making is Your Path To Business Success. Retrieved
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https://www.datapine.com/blog/data-driven-
decision-making-in-businesses/
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decision-making
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