Personal Perspective Paper - What Is Your Experience with Decision Making Models?

Personal Perspective Paper:

What is your experience with decision making models?

MMPBL/500 - FOUNDATIONS OF PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING

David Tucker

April 11, 2011

My personal perspective on decision making models is that they seem to be logical and make a lot of sense; they allow a person or team of people to intelligently script or draw out the ideas about a new project or dilemma, and the steps involved with it. The models are used for problem solving, engineering and mapping out ideas, but unfortunately I have not had any formal experience with them. That is unless you count the paper of pros and cons that you write out when you are trying to decide on whether or not to invest in or do something important. Seeing the mind maps and researching the actual concept of decision making models, reminds me of a road map of sorts, or a means to an end so to speak. It takes you through the ins and outs and the what ifs of a problem to allow a person to get a better idea of what can happen, or plan for the best scenario or outcome. It would definitely be an interesting way for to convey to my children, or anyone else, a direction they could go, just as I think it would or could help a company or decision making group in deciding which route or direction they may want to carry the company to. This is similar in some ways to the company I work for; we have been in the heating and air conditioning business for about 11 years, two years ago they went into business with a company that does plumbing as well, when the final decisions were being made they printed out and showed all of us a "map" of sorts, demonstrating or showing us where, when and what our new job responsibilities would be. I never thought of it as being a decision making model, but I guess in many ways it was, management was able to tweak the job assignments as we went along, deciding to move people into areas that they were more suited for or that would make the most of their personal abilities. Making intelligent choices to make the most of the workers they have available, based upon the models they have worked up.