Eight Step Decision Making Process for Effective Team Management

This article discusses the eight step decision making process for effective team management. It explains how to identify problems, establish decision criteria, weigh decision criteria, generate alternatives, evaluate alternatives, choose the best alternatives, implement the decision and evaluate the decision. The article also highlights the importance of the five whys framework in decision making. It is relevant for students studying management and business courses.

Running head: INDIVIDUAL ASSESSMENT 4.1
INDIVIDUAL ASSESSMENT 4.1
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1INDIVIDUAL ASSESSMENT 4.1
1. Identifying problem
The decision making process is important as it can determine the success of all small and
medium businesses. In this case one of the important decision making areas that can be
considered is deciding on the roles that would be effective for specific team members. In this
case it is important to consider an effective decision making framework. The team members in a
multi skilled team have different talents. This makes it difficult for the leader on the roles that are
to be managed by the members. Thus, it becomes important that the eight step decision making
framework is utilized to make decisions that are most effective for the future. Identifying the
problem is a major factor as the solutions are entirely dependent on how effectively the solutions
are provided. The operational value of the decisions are dependent on finding the right problems.
2. Usage of eight-step decision making process
The eight steps decision making models involves steps through which systematic
solutions can be provided in decision making situations. The steps that are involved in
accordance of their values are identifying the problem, establishing decision criteria, weighing
decision criteria, generating alternatives, evaluating the alternatives, choosing the best
alternatives, implementing the decision and evaluating the decision. One of the important steps
that can be taken in this regards is considering the five whys framework. The 5 whys in this case
are define, measure, improve, control and analyze. The five whys framework helps to determine
the problems more effectively. In this case the problem can be allocating the right tasks to the
right people. It is important in this light that information is gathered about the competencies of
the people of the team and develop greater understanding of them through the 5 whys
framework.
3. The eight step decision-making process
1. Identifying the problem- identifying the problem means to find the actual issues that can
further aggravate in the future. In case of the team issues the problem is the allocation of tasks.
However, there are many smaller problems as well that need to be considered.
2. Establishing decision criteria- The decision criteria is very important it means the decision
making factors need to be considered most importantly. In regards to the same an important
decision is to develop criteria that can provide better value.

2INDIVIDUAL ASSESSMENT 4.1
3. Weighing the decision criteria- The decision making process involves weighting the decision
criteria. This means that the amount of weightage that is assigned to the given criteria needs to be
measured. Some of the criteria can hold more significance than any other criteria.
4. Generating alternatives- Alternatives are the alternate solutions to the given problem. The
possible outcomes of the solutions need to be listed and then they need to be considered in
accordance of their significance.
5. Evaluation of the alternatives- Evaluation of the alternatives means to consider the alternatives
in view of the problem.
6. Choosing the best among the available alternatives- The best alternatives need to be chosen as
they can provide the best solutions for the identified problem. This is important as the entire
value of the decision making process is dependent on this factor.
7. Implementing decision- Implementing the decision is a very important as it is the actual
process that can provide any value to the decision making function. For example- the people of
the team need to be given the right tasks.
8. Evaluating decision- The decisions that are taken then need to be evaluated. This is in regard
to how much effective these decisions were. This is the phase where the actual effectiveness of
the decisions are measured.