Having sorted out the objectives and established the facts, you will still not be able to make a totally effective decision because you will not have examined all the options the art of developing or extending the options just far enough, and not too far, is the real art of effective decision making. One problem with extending the options to for is that so many options may present themselves that it may seem even harder to make the final decision. Another is that becomes easier to procrastinate while pleading that the times is to be spent looking for further options. Never the less, it is essential, in taking an effective decision, to ensure that all reasonably possible options have been examined.
Developing a range of options
You are not seeking all the possibilities of action, merely a sufficient range to ensure that the best decision can be taken. This can be done in the flowing ways:-
Do nothing: never forget that the do –nothing option always exists. It may, of course, not e worth consideration, but it certainly should not be forgotten.
History: look at past options to see if similar circumstances apply, and consequently the same options could still be viable.
Brainstorming: get a group together and try out ideas to see if new options emerge.
Creative thinking: the one-person brainstorming session that seeks the unusual or oddball idea.
Analogy: analogy is the technique of comparing two situations that apparently have nothing in common. Consider a business decision and relate it to a child’s fairy story or to a domestic problem. Examine the business decision using the characters and events from the story or domestic event to people the stage.
Idea banks: set up idea banks, filing cabinet drawers full of thought –provoking papers or information. Share idea banks on general subjects and use them to trigger specific ideas.