Decision Making Models

The first Decision Making model I found is the five step decision model. The first step is to state the problem, and you do just that. You need to identify the problem so that the decision in the end will be right. The second step is to identify alternatives. You should have as many good alternatives as possible, although sometimes the only alternatives are to do it or to not do it. The third step is to evaluate your alternatives. You must analyze all your alternatives and rank them. The fourth step is to make a decision. Eliminate all the choices that were low ranked and choose what has the best outcome. The fifth and final step is to implement your decision. Nothing will come of your decision if you don’t actually do something.

The second Decision Making model I found is the Ultimate Decision Making process. It puts you first in making your decision according to how you think and how are you. It asks only one question to help you make your decision and that is If I do x, will it allow me to more so be who I want to be, or not? This question puts all your morals and values and goals into it. Everything is based upon you. If you answer yes than do it, and if you answer no than don’t do it. It is a simple process. If your answer is ‘I don’t know’ than it suggests waiting it out and gather more information before you decide.

One thing that makes all the models similar is that in the end, you make a decision. The GREAT model and the 5 step model are very similar is that they both tell you to do the same thing, just in different words. They also both have 5 steps. The Quadrant and the Ultimate Decision Making process are similar because they both ask questions. A difference between the two would be that the Quadrant asks four things while the Ultimate asks only one.

I am not sure which is the most effective, but I know that the Ultimate is probably the LEAST effective process. It may look very promising and the one that people may want to use, but sometimes your wants are not the better choice over doing the right thing.