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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
  •  Bad Decision Making Was Responsible for the Economic Crisis of 2008
  •   Your Guide & Worksheet for Applying the Complete Method of Creative Decision Making SM-14 (PDF)
    • GUIDE TO DECISION MAKING: (Complete 48-page Booklet)
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    • OTHER NORMAN EDMUND WEBSITES:
  •  EconomyCrises.com
  •  ScientificMethod.com
  •  ProblemSolving.net
  •  HomeSchooling-Problemsolving.com
    • RESEARCH REPORTS ON DECISION MAKING:

    Introduction to Research Reports
    1. Decision Making Criteria
    2. Political & Public Policy Decision Making
    3. Good Judgment & Decision Making
    4. Models, Systems, Guides for Decision Making in the Literature
    5. A Model for Career Decision Making
    6. Your Personal Program to Learn Decision Making
    7. Decision Support or Business Intelligence
    8. Bad Decisions
    9. Decision Making Theories
    10. Decision Making Styles
    11. Decision Making Quotes & Articles
    12. Critical Thinking & Structured Decision Making
    13. Decision Making Tool
    14. Organization Ethical Decision Making
    15. Team Decision Making
    16. Decision Making Lesson Plans
    17. Decision Making Methods
    18. Decision Making Examples

    Research Report #13
    Decision Making Tools

    The Greatest Decision Making Tool of All Time -
    The Scientific Method

    What Are Decision Making Tools?

    The word tools is used very broadly in the decision making field. It is used to cover, for example:

    Techniques Methods Aids

    Physical instruments such as computers, scales, laser spectrometers, thermometers, meters, timing devices, etc.

    Computer programs that replace human decision makers for some types of decisions.

    Miscellaneous items such as mathematical systems, software, charts, books, teams, data driven decision making, visual aids, groups, kits.

    While decision making tool is a nice sounding term, I believe the use of the terms techniques, methods, computer programs, and more specific identifications is better. Therefore, I seldom use the term tools, but I do use the terms methods and techniques and specific identifications often.

    Why the Scientific Method Is the Greatest Tool of All

    The scientific method is basically a problem solving method. Decision making is a form of problem solving. Since the scientific method has been found to be the best problem solving method after centuries of use it follows that it is the best "tool" of all.

    Data Driven (Data Based) Decision Making for School Improvement

    These are being recommended as tools to use especially in the educational field. On the surface it sounds very logical. You should make decision based on data. But what data? If the data have been produced by the scientific method, then everything is fine. However, if only opinions of the value of the data are involved, then that data driven decision making may be very bad. It would be more accurate and professional to say scientific method driven decision making.

    Summary

    The use of decision making tools and data driven decision making sound fine, but there are better terms to use.