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INTRODUCTORY PAGES:
  •   What the Decision Making Booklet Can Do for You
  •   Table of Contents Of 48-Page Booklet
    • FREE DECISION MAKING TOOLS: Two Pages – Very Valuable
  •    Your Guide & Worksheet for Applying the Complete Method of Creative Decision Making SM-14 (PDF)
    • GUIDE TO DECISION MAKING: (Complete 48-page Booklet)
  •   For viewing
  •   For downloading (PDF)
    • OTHER NORMAN EDMUND WEBSITES:
  •   ScientificMethod.com
  •   ProblemSolving.net
  •   HomeSchooling-Problemsolving.com
    • SUPPLEMENTAL BRIEFS ON DECISION MAKING:
  •   Introduction to Decision Making Briefs
  •   Decision Making Criteria
  •   Political & Public Policy Decision Making
  •   Good Judgment & Decision Making
  •   Models, Systems, Guides for Decision Making in the Literature
  •   A Model for Career Decision Making
  •   Your Personal Program to Learn Decision Making
  •   Decision Support or Business Intelligence
  •   Bad Decisions
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    Bad Decisions

    Many people inquire about the reasons for bad and poor decision making.

    Decision Making Under Uncertainty

    It should be recognized that risks are inherent in dealing with the future. Thus some well researched decisions can at times turn out to be bad ones.

    Decision Making Skills Are Not Taught Enough in our Schools –

    Result Is Bad Decisions

    Because of misunderstandings about the scientific method, problem solving and decision making are not extensively taught in our schools. People lack decision making training and decision making lessons to enable them to make good decisions rather than bad decisions.

    Bad Decisions Result from Not Using a Model, Method, or Process

    Because of not using a model, method, or process, many people, in making decisions, just proceed by chance and are not familiar with a model, method, or process to follow. This increases the chance of a bad decision being made. Judgment and decision making are bound together. Bad decision making results in poor judgment.

    Good Model, Method, Process, or Formula Has Been Missing, Resulting in Bad Decisions

    While the literature contains many models or formulas, they vary widely and are usually too short and thus incomplete. Now that the SM-14 process described on this site is available, it should be adopted as a standard.

    Intuitive Decision Making Often Results in Bad Decisions

    A huge number of intuitive decisions are made. Many people depend on their gut feeling alone in making decisions. In many cases this is necessary because of time and urgency. But on complex decisions, intuition should always be reinforced by going through either the short or long model of the complete method of creative problem solving and decision making, SM-14.

    Group Decision Making and Team Decision Making

    Management decision making and business decision making often involve groups and teams to help or make decisions. Getting a group to work together in shared decision making efficiently in administrative decision making is not easy. Often bad decisions result because everyone goes in their own directions. If a team or group is given a model or process for decision making, such as SM-14, they can then work in unity and are more likely to collaborate to produce a good decision rather than a bad decision.