Managing Information & Making Decisions

Managing information and making decisions are related core competences - critical both to personal and organisational success. All managers and professionals find themselves having to provide relevant and reliable information to enable others to make sound decisions based on their recommendations and at the same time they need to be able to make and implement decisions themselves based on assessing information and attendant risk factors.

This managing information and making decisions workshop covers both sides of this coin. It also recognises the importance of other dimensions such as the value of creativity and intuition, the dangers of 'group-think' and the importance of building consensus and getting support. Above all it emphasises that effective decision makers need an appropriate blend of both 'hard' and 'soft' skills.

Course Membership

All managers, professionals and consultants whose role involves presenting information making recommendations and taking decisions.

Course Objectives

• To help participants improve the quality of information and recommendations they provide to decision makers

• To help participants improve the quality of decisions they make and take a more effective part in the decision making process.

Course OutlineTopics covered include:

• Introduction to managing information and making decisions

• Understanding decision making criteria and gathering the relevant information

• Principles of information management – filtering, condensing & timing

• Identifying trends and patterns in information

• Sources of information

  - Quantative v qualitative

  - Designing and interpreting survey information

• Project and investment appraisal

• Resourcing the decision making process – how much time and effort is the decision worth

• Identifying and managing risks

• Decision making styles – which ones to use and when (decision tree's)

• Cognitive and personal biases in decision-making

• The dangers of group-think

• Creativity and intuition in the decision-making process

• De Bono's 'Thinking Hats'

• Essential and desirable criteria – weightings and keeping sight of the essential

• Communicating decisions and getting support – influencing skills

• Monitoring outcomes and adjusting decisions

Course Methods

ProSeminar's Managing Information and Making Decisions workshop involves a mixture of learning activities to appeal to all learning styles and includes informal lecture discussion, case studies and simulations.