Decisions

Staying in, or getting out. This was one of the most difficult decisions I have had to make. The Air force provided job security as well as the possible risk of being separated from my children. I was faced with the challenge of leaving the only life I had known for the last eleven years and facing the real world. The military provides a sense of comfort by always having your next move completely planned out for you. I was seeking a life of my own. I wanted a life where I was in control of what I believed was best for my family. Serving my country has been one of my greatest accomplishments, but it was time for a change. This is a perfect example of the importance of critical thinking. After tirelessly weighing the list of pros and cons, I realized that always being there for my children was better for everyone's wellbeing. I set my plan in to action, separated from the Air Force, and I obtained a fulfilling job in the civilian world only to prove once again that critical thinking is a major part of everyday life.

Within the military, the use of a checklist basically provides any possible step one may require during the completion of any assigned task. In my current position as a network administrator, it solely up to me to determine how and when action is required. That is where the use of a decision-making model comes into play. According to Rick Roberts, Director of the University of North Florida Career Services, "Choosing a career path or course of action essentially boils down to a career decision-making process. The effectiveness of your career decision-making relies heavily on the information available to you at the decision-making point. Information is power. The more information you have the easier it is to make a decision. Oftentimes an inability to choose one career path over another is an indication that you do not have sufficient information. The trick is to figure out what information you are lacking and then gather and analyze that information." (http://www.unf.edu/dept/cdc/services/decisio.htm)

There is great importance in a decision model. Decisions are made on a daily basis. While, some are trivial, others may require countless hours of deliberation, loss of sleep and can negatively affect many people. If decision-making is well planned and based on well-gathered and accurate information, the path to a good decision can be easily paved.

The following 5-step model from The University of Maryland will help facilitate this process.

Decision-Making Model

Individuals, groups or teams make decisions every day. Some decisions are very important and affect a lot of people whereas other decisions are small and affect only one or two people. A decision-making process based on data leads to good decisions. The steps in this model are listed in a linear fashion but the steps are interrelated and can be repeated as needed throughout the process.

FRAMING

Ð'* Clarify purpose and boundaries of the decision

Ð'* Gather information

Ð'* Identify who is affected by the decision

Ð'* Identify who will make the decision (individual or group)

Ð'* Identify what knowledge or expertise is needed to make the decision

Ð'* Identify what information or resources currently exist to help with the decision making process

Ð'* Define by when the decision needs to be made

Ð'* Communicate to affected parties who is making the decision and the rationale for it

DECIDING

Ð'* Define how the decision will be made (e.g. consensus, voting, etc.)

Ð'* Use appropriate tools that support data gathering (e.g. affinity diagram, brainstorming, fishbone, flowchart, force field, how-how, interrelationship digraph)

Ð'* Make the decision through the integration of ideas and data, and negotiation and prioritization of ideas

Ð'* Identify who (individual or group) will implement the decision

COMMUNICATING