Make better-quality decisions

Collaborative decision-making is a crucial aspect of any transformation process, and the success of the transformation depends on the effectiveness of this process. At the Centre for Applied Transformation, we have developed a collaborative decision-making model that helps organisations make informed decisions that align with their values, goals, and objectives.

Our collaborative decision-making model is a set of 9 individual and collective practices that engage stakeholders and facilitate communication, transparency, and trust. While there is some logic to the order of these practices (in the graphic above, left to right, and top to bottom) our decision-making model is not a linear process and this ordering is not prescriptive; this is not a tick-box exercise, it is an iterative and ongoing undertaking.

• The top 3 practices are about identifying and defining the problem-to-be-solved and determining if it is important enough to warrant attention and resources. Additionally, these first practices importantly focus our attention on our own process and how we are going to make the decision. A most important questions to answer at this point is 'Whose decision is this? And why is it this role's decision?'
• The middle 3 practices are all about identifying the key stakeholders who have a perspective on our problem, and could be involved in the decision-making process. Understanding and engaging your stakeholders is crucial because it established legitimacy and credibility for the rest of your process.
• The last 3 practices sort, process, analyse, synthesise, and test information and perspectives gathered. This involves reviewing and evaluating the data and information collected and identifying patterns, trends, and insights that will help in making an informed decision. These practices are critical as they enable stakeholders to identify potential risks, opportunities, and trade-offs associated with different options.

Benefits of Collaborative Decision Making

Collaborative decision making has several benefits that can help organisations achieve successful transformations. Firstly, it promotes transparency and trust among stakeholders, as all stakeholders are involved in the decision-making process. This promotes a sense of ownership and accountability, which can help in ensuring that the decision made is implemented effectively.

Secondly, collaborative decision making ensures that all relevant information is taken into consideration when making the final decision. This helps in making an informed decision that takes into account the perspectives and experiences of all stakeholders. This also helps in identifying potential risks and opportunities, which can help in mitigating risks and leveraging opportunities.

Thirdly, collaborative decision making fosters creativity and innovation, as it allows for multiple perspectives and ideas to be shared and evaluated. This helps in generating a wide range of options and solutions, which can lead to innovative and effective solutions to complex problems.

Finally, collaborative decision making promotes a culture of learning and continuous improvement. This is because the process involves monitoring and evaluating the decision made and making necessary adjustments. This helps in ensuring that the organisation is continuously learning and improving, which is crucial for successful transformations.

Talk to us about this!

Collaborative decision making is a critical aspect of any transformation process, and its effectiveness determines the success of the transformation. The collaborative decision-making practices developed by the Centre for Applied Transformation help organisations make informed decisions that align with their values, goals, and objectives.

Over the coming weeks, we will be taking a deeper dive into each of the 9 practices to explore how these work and some of the nuances of each.

Get in touch if you would like to discover how this set of practices could become part of how you do business.