How can you streamline the decision-making process and avoid wasting time?

1 Define the problem and the objective

Before you jump into brainstorming solutions, you need to clearly identify the problem you are trying to solve and the objective you are aiming for. This will help you narrow down your options and focus on the most relevant and impactful ones. You can use tools such as the 5 Whys, the Fishbone Diagram, or the SMART framework to define the problem and the objective in a specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound way.

5 Implement and monitor the decision

After you have chosen and communicated the decision, you need to implement and monitor the decision to ensure its effectiveness and impact. You can use tools such as the Action Plan, the Gantt Chart, or the Kanban Board to plan and track the tasks, resources, and deadlines involved in executing the decision. You can also use tools such as the KPI Dashboard, the Feedback Loop, or the PDCA Cycle to measure and evaluate the results, feedback, and learning from the decision.

6 Review and improve the decision-making process

Finally, you need to review and improve the decision-making process to learn from your successes and failures and optimize your decision-making skills and efficiency. You can use tools such as the After Action Review, the Lessons Learned Report, or the Decision Journal to reflect on what went well, what went wrong, and what can be done better in the future. You can also use tools such as the Decision Audit, the Decision Tree, or the Decision Checklist to identify and eliminate any biases, errors, or gaps in your decision-making process.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?