This document discusses decision making and provides techniques for each step of the decision making process: 1. Who makes the decision - Identify the roles each person plays using a decision making matrix. Adjust roles to improve decisions. 2. Generate ideas - Avoid biases like spotlight effect and narrow framing. Consider multiple options and assumptions. Consult others. 3. Make the decision - Eliminate fake options. Test assumptions against reality. Beware short-term emotion. Consider alternative perspectives. Align with values. 4. Prepare for the future - Plan for being wrong or right. Set triggers to revisit decisions. Document the rationale and share decisions with stakeholders.

1. We sucked at making
decisions
Here’s what we know now

2. What’s this talk about?

3. Inspired by...

4. We will show you...
Generate ideas
Make the decision
Prepare for the future
Who makes the decision

5. Why is this important?

6. You make lots
of decisions,
even without
realising
#1

7. No-one teaches
you how to
make decisions
#2

8. Not making a
decision is still
making a
decision!
#3

9. Make the decision
when it wants to
be made
#3
Not before, not after!

10. Everything you
do next
depends on it
#4

11. Why is this
important at
all?
1. You make lots of decisions, every day
2. No-one teaches you how to make
decisions
3. Not making a decision is still making
a decision
4. It’s the foundation for everything you
do next

12. Take a moment to think about a
decision you’re trying to make

13. Some crappy
decisions we’ve
made
Before we get started...

14. Techniques
we’ve used
● Flipping a coin
● Gathering some data
● Writing pros and cons lists
● Choosing based on hopes for the
future

15. Techniques we
shouldn’t have
used
● Flipping a coin - narrow frame
● Gathering some data - confirmation
bias
● Writing pros and cons lists -
short-term emotion
● Choosing based on hopes for the
future - overconfident about the
future

16. How do I make a better decision?

17. Who makes the decision?

18. The 5 roles of
decision
making
Which role will you play?
1. I make the decision, alone
2. I make the decision, when I have
consulted people
3. We collaborate on the decision
4. I want to be consulted
5. I will commit to what someone else
decides

19. Who makes the decision?
I make the
decision, alone
I make the
decision, after
consulting
We collaborate I want to be
consulted
I’ll commit to
your decision
Andy X
Beth X
Arun X

20. Who makes the decision?
I make the
decision, alone
I make the
decision, after
consulting
We collaborate I want to be
consulted
I’ll commit to
your decision
Andy X
Beth X
Arun X

21. Have you made
your decision
yet?
1. Use the 5 roles
2. Ask your team members which role
they play to highlight problems
3. Adjust and make better decisions
Who makes the decision?

22. Generate ideas

23. Spotlight effect
Giving too much weight to the
information right in front of you
#1

24. Narrow frame
The wording of your decision
limits your options
#2

25. Forget your
assumptions
For now, at least
#3

26. Think AND, not
OR
What’s stopping you from doing
more than one thing?
#4

27. Vanishing
options test
What if you can’t do any of your
options?
#5

28. Ask someone
who’s made the
decision before
Maybe you’ve even made it
before
#6

29. Ladder up
Has someone solved a similar
problem?
#7

30. Have you made
your decision
yet?
Generate ideas
1. Avoid the spotlight effect
2. Avoid a narrow frame
3. Forget your assumptions
4. Think AND, not OR
5. Use the vanishing options test
6. Ask someone who’s solved the
problem before
7. Ladder up

31. Make the decision

32. Get rid of
fake options
If you were never prepared to do
it, it’s fake
#1

33. Reality test
your
assumptions
Look at what needs to be true
for an option to work
#2

34. Beware of short
term emotion
#3

35. Use the
10/10/10
Don’t let short term emotion rule
the decision
#4

36. People are weird

37. Social
experiment
What people chose for
themselves...
B

38. Social
experiment
What people advised their
friends to do...
A

39. Social
experiment
A != B
WTF?!

40. There’s a cute girl in your class, you’ve only spoken to
her once but you’d like to get to know her better. You
have her phone number. What do you do?
A) Call her B) Wait

41. How would you
advise your
friend?
You should probably take that
advice
#AWKWARD
#5

42. Trust your
intuition
It’s there for a reason
#6

43. Trust your
intuition
Ask for help

44. Trust your
intuition
Never kick a puppy!

45. Trust your
intuition
RUN!

46. Remember your
values
You make decision with your
moral compass
#7

47. What are your
company
values?
That really expensive
paragraph...
#7

48. Have you made
your decision
yet?
Make the decision
1. Get rid of fake options
2. Reality test your assumptions
3. Beware of short term emotion
4. Try 10/10/10
5. How would you advise your friend
6. Trust your intuition
7. Remember your values

49. Prepare for the future

50. Prepare to be
wrong
Hold a premortem
#1

51. Prepare to be
right
Hold a pre-parade
#2

52. Set a tripwire
Well, not literally
#3

53. STOP!
Hammer time
#4

54. STOP!
A bad decision, ASAP!
#4

55. Document your
decision
[Who] decided [what] because
[why] after also considering
[what else, and why not] and
consulting with [whom] and the
decision was shared with
[whom] and should be reviewed
[if/when]
#5

56. Communicate
your decision
You owe it to people affected by
your decision
#6

57. Prepare for the future
1. Prepare to be wrong
2. Prepare to be right
3. Set a tripwire
4. STOP! a bad decision
5. Document the decision
6. Communicate the decision
Have you made
your decision
yet?

58. We have shown you...
Generate ideas
Make the decision
Prepare for the future
Who makes the decision

59. Who makes the
decision?
1. Use the 5 roles
2. Ask your team members which role
they play to highlight problems
3. Adjust and make better decisions

60. Generate ideas
1. Avoid the spotlight effect
2. Avoid a narrow frame
3. Forget your assumptions
4. Think AND, not OR
5. Use the vanishing options test
6. Ask someone who’s solved the
problem before
7. Ladder up

61. Make the
decision
1. Get rid of fake options
2. Reality test your assumptions
3. Beware of short term emotion
4. Try 10/10/10
5. How would you advise your friend
6. Trust your intuition
7. Remember your values

62. 1. Prepare to be wrong
2. Prepare to be right
3. Set a tripwire
4. STOP! a bad decision
5. Document the decision
6. Communicate the decision
Prepare for the
future

63. We have shown you...
Generate ideas
Make the decision
Prepare for the future
Who makes the decision

64. Have you made
your decision
yet?
Tom Smith
@tomcsmith
Maria Scrivener
@mariascrivener