The Decision Education Foundation’s approach to decision making is based on decades of experience in academia and industry. It enables us to judge the quality of a decision as it is being made. The ideas and methods presented here can be applied as a checklist for simple decisions or as a systematic process for difficult decisions.

Defining A Good Decision

"Whether my decision is good or bad depends on how I make it, not on the outcome."

We define a good decision as one that makes sense in our head and feels right in our heart. To be sure that we reach a decision that makes sense and feels right, we need to get six elements right.

As shown, the elements are: A helpful frame, creative alternatives, useful information, clear values, sound reasoning, and commitment to follow-through. These elements are like the links in a chain: The decision is only as strong as the weakest link.

• Helpful Frame—being clear on the problem I am solving
• Clear Values—being clear about what I truly want
• Creative Alternatives—being creative and realistic about my possible courses of action
• Useful Information—using the best information I can gather
• Sound Reasoning—selecting the best alternative in light of my values and the information I’ve gathered
• Commitment to Follow Through—having the will and the means to carry out my decision

We can describe the strength of each link on a scale of 0 to 100%. One hundred percent is not perfection; it is the point where additional improvement isn’t worth the effort or delay.

Because we often face uncertainty in making decisions, we can make a good decision and get a bad outcome.  Good decisions will not guarantee good outcomes, but on average, consistently better decisions lead to consistently better outcomes.

Process For Difficult Decisions

"Good decisions are made one step at a time."

With DEF’s process, we can address the components of a complex decision in a logical order and reach commitment in a timely manner. Further, this process helps us achieve the appropriate balance between considerations of head and heart, between searching for facts and creating possibilities, and between deciding too quickly and taking too long. 

The process consists of four steps:

1. Frame: Determine the purpose, scope, and perspective for the decision
2. Build: Develop creative, doable alternatives, clarify what is important to you, and get useful information
3. Evaluate: Compare alternatives based on information and values, rate the quality of each of the decision elements, and determine whether the choice makes sense and feels right
4. Improve: Identify and fill gaps in the quality of the decision elements and revise reasoning; then proceed to purposeful action.