Module 6:

Decision Making

Zaid Ali Alsagoff

zaid.alsagoff@gmail.com
Should You Ask?

Sir, why is my
coursework marks so low?
I deserve higher marks.
Hehehe!
Which Mobile Phone should I buy?
What are the
things you
consider before
making a
decision?
What should I wear for class (or work) today?

What are the

things you
consider before
making a
decision?
Module 6: Decision Making

1. What is
Decision Making? 2. Barriers to Good
Decision Making

3. Decision
Making Process
4. Decision Making
Tools
 "No sensible decision can be made any longer
without taking into account not only the world as
it is, but the world as it will be. . ."
-  Isaac Asimov
6.1 What is Decision Making?
Decision making is the cognitive process leading to the
selection of a course of action among alternatives.
Every decision making process produces a final choice.
choice It
can be an action or an opinion.
opinion
It begins when we need to do something but we do not know
what. Therefore, decision making is a reasoning process
which can be rational or irrational, and can be based on
explicit assumptions or tacit assumptions.
Examples:
Shopping, deciding what to eat, What to wear, when to
sleep, etc..

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decision_making
“Successful leaders have the courage to take
action while others hesitate.”
- John C. Maxwell
 6.2 Barriers to Good Decision Making

Hasty - Making quick decisions without having much thought.

Narrow - Decision making is based on very limited
information.
Scattered - Our thoughts in making decisions are
disconnected or disorganized.
Fuzzy - Sometimes, the lack of clarity on important aspects of
a decision causes us to overlook certain important
considerations.

For an explanation of the logical processes behind some of these barriers refer to
Module 4 (Fallacies)
Fallacies and Module 1 (Section - Barriers to Critical
Critical Thinking).
Thinking
“ Making good decisions is a crucial skill at
every level. ”
- Peter Drucker
 6.3 Decision Making Process
Steps
1. Define the decision clearly.
2. Consider all the possible
choices.
3. Gather all relevant information
and evaluate all the pros and
cons of each possible choice.
4. Select the choice that seems to
best meet the needs of the
situation.
5. Implement a plan of action and
then monitor the results, making
necessary adjustments.
Tips
 A lot of decision making goes wrong at the starting
point.
 the more specific your definition of the decision is to
made, the clearer will be your analysis and the
likelihood of success.
 Successful decision makers explore all of the
possible choices of the situation.
 In fact many of the less obvious choices turn out to
be the most effective ones.
 In many cases, we may lack sufficient information to
make an informed decision.
 Analyze the advantages and disadvantages of each
choice
 Synthesize all what you learned in previous steps
and make a conclusion that you believe to be your
“best” choice.
 Once you have selected your best choice, you need
to develop and implement a specific and concrete plan
of action.
 As you begin taking the steps in your plan, you will
discover that adjustments need to be made.
“Because I'm thinking in a broader way, I feel
like I am able to make better decisions.”
- Takafumi Horie
6.4 Decision Making Tools

Tools to facilitate better decisions:

CoRT (Module 2)
SWOT ANALYSIS (Next)
SIX THINKING HATS (Module 7)
DECISION MATRIX
FORCE FIELD ANALYSIS
ISHIKAWA DIAGRAM I can study
MIND MAPPING these tools on
my own. Click!
SOCRATIC QUESTIONING
More  MyCoted + Mind Tools + Creativity Web
 Strengths Weaknesses

Opportunities Threats
6.4.1 SWOT Analysis

SWOT analysis is a great technique for identifying

your Strengths and Weaknesses and study any
Opportunities and Threats you face.
It is also a powerful strategic planning tool used to
evaluate a project or in a business venture or in any
other situation of an organization or individual
requiring a decision in pursuit of an objective.
It involves monitoring the marketing environment
internal and external to the organization or
individual.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SWOT_Analysis
6.4.1 SWOT Analysis – Strategic Use
Orienting SWOTs to An Objective - If SWOT analysis does not start
with defining a desired end state or objective, it runs the risk of being
useless.
If a clear objective has been identified, SWOT analysis can be used to
help in the pursuit of that objective. In this case, SWOTs are:

Strengths Weaknesses
Attributes of the organization Attributes of the
that are helpful to achieving the organization that are harmful
objective. to achieving the objective.
Opportunities Threats
External conditions that are External conditions that are
helpful to achieving the harmful to achieving the
objective. objective.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SWOT_Analysis
6.4.1 SWOT Analysis – Creative Use
Creative Use of SWOTs – If the objective seems
attainable, the SWOTs are used as inputs to the creative
generation of possible strategies, by asking (usually in
groups) and answering each of the following four questions,
many times:

Strengths Weaknesses
How can we Use each How can we Stop each
Strength? Weakness?

Opportunities Threats
How can we Exploit each How can we Defend against
Opportunity? each Threat?

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SWOT_Analysis
6.4.1 SWOT Analysis – Internal and External
Factors
The aim of any SWOT analysis is to identify the key internal
and external factors that are important to achieving the
objective. SWOT analysis groups key pieces of information
into two main categories:
Strengths

Internal Factors
 Organization
Weaknesses
Opportunities
External Factors
 External Environment
Threats
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SWOT_Analysis
6.4.1 SWOT Analysis – Errors to Be Avoided

Conducting a SWOT analysis before defining

and agreeing upon an objective (a desired end
state). SWOTs should not exist in the abstract.
They can exist only with reference to an
objective.
Opportunities external to the company are often
confused with strengths internal to the
company. They should be kept separate.
SWOTs are sometimes confused with possible
strategies. SWOTs are descriptions of
conditions, while possible strategies define
actions.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SWOT_Analysis
Group Activity
Break into groups of 4 – 6.
Identify a potential product/service to invest in (e.g. buying a car), or business
project/venture to pursue.
Do a SWOT analysis to identify the key internal and external factors that are
important to consider (refer to the template).
Assess the findings, and make a decision.
Example:
 Imagine you want to assess whether to study at UNITAR or not. Do a SWOT
analysis, assess and then make a decision. 

5 min Identify a potential product/service/project/venture to invest or pursue.

15 min Do a SWOT analysis, assess, and then make a decision.
5 min Document your SWOT analysis findings in the template provided.
15 min Group presentation & discussion.
The Group leader must submit their findings in hard-copy or soft-copy format to the
lecturer before or during the next class.
 Summary
6.1 What is Decision Decision making is the cognitive process leading to the selection
of a course of action among alternatives.
Making?
6.2 Barriers to Good Hasty, Narrow, Scattered and Fuzzy decision making.
Decision Making

6.3 Decision Making 1. Define the decision clearly.

Process 2. Consider all the possible choices.
3. Gather all relevant information and evaluate all the pros and
cons of each possible choice.
4. Select the choice that seems to best meet the needs of the
situation.
5. Implement a plan of action and then monitor the results,
making necessary adjustments.

6.4 Decision Making  CoRT

Tools  SWOT Analysis
 Six Thinking Hats
 Decision Matrix
 Etc.
Any Questions?
The End
References
Online Resources

Courseware - Module 4: Decision Making

http://cw.unitar.edu.my/ugb2013/c4/index.htm
Decision Making: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decision_making
SWOT Analysis: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SWOT_Analysis
SWOT Tutorial: http://www.nelh.nhs.uk/folio/mchip/swot.pps
SWOT Templates:
http://www.businessballs.com/swotanalysisfreetemplate.htm
Teacher in Bad Mood:
http://www.sbac.edu/~tpl/clipart/Signs%20and%20Symbols/danger%20
02.jpg

Punk: http://www.rarepunk.com/images/punkrocker2.jpg
Siti Nurhaliza:
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c369/bukaninsanbiasa/ctmelayumera
h.jpg

Angry Teacher: http://www.webweaver.nu/clipart/img/education/angry-

teacher.gif
Contact Details

Zaid Ali Alsagoff

UNIVERSITI TUN ABDUL RAZAK
16-5, Jalan SS 6/12
47301 Kelana Jaya
Selangor Darul Ehsan
Malaysia
E-mail: zaid.alsagoff@gmail.com  

Tel: 603-7627 7238

Fax: 603-7627 7246