Handbook of Decision Analysis

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Summary of Major Themes

GREGORY S. PARNELL

If a man will begin with certainties, he shall end in doubts: but if he will be content to begin with doubts, he shall end in certainties.

—Francis Bacon

15.1 Overview

15.2 Decision Analysis Helps Answer Important Decision-Making Questions

15.3 The Purpose of Decision Analysis Is to Create Value for Shareholders and Stakeholders

15.3.1 Single Objective Value

15.3.2 Multiple Objective Value

15.3.3 It Is Important to Distinguish Potential Value and Implemented Value

15.4 Decision Analysis Is a Socio-Technical Process

15.4.1 Social

15.4.2 Technical

15.5 Decision Analysts Need Decision-Making Knowledge and Soft Skills

15.5.1 Decision Analysts Need to Understand Decision-Making Challenges

15.5.2 Decision Analysts Must Develop Their Soft Skills

15.6 The Decision Analysis Process Must Be Tailored to the Decision and the Organization

15.6.1 Decision Quality

15.6.2 Decision Conferencing

15.6.3 Dialogue Decision Process

15.7 Decision Analysis Offers Powerful Analytic Tools to Support Decision Making

15.7.1 Portfolio Resource Allocation

15.8 Conclusion

15.1 Overview

This chapter reviews and summarizes the most important themes of the handbook. It can be used either as a summary of the book or as a preview of the book.

Senior leaders face very difficult decision challenges that can have a critical impact on the future of their organizations. Decision analysis offers a useful framework for thinking about these decisions. We define a decision ...