Decision Making Model

Solving problems is important in every area of human thinking. Learning general problem-solving skills can therefore help you improve your ability to cope with every area of your life. (Stevens)

The Decision Making Model that I found online informed me that the traditional decision-making process has nine steps:

Ð'* Recognize that a problem exists and set a solution objective.

Ð'* Analyze the situation.

Ð'* Identify key uncertainties.

Ð'* Determine workable solutions and perhaps brainstorm for alternatives.

Ð'* Gather data, perhaps using "expert" help. Analyze which alternative might work best given the specific problem and your particular environment.

Ð'* Select the best (most workable) alternative.

Ð'* Develop a plan for implementation and action.

Ð'* Implement the plan.

Ð'* Follow up to see how the decision worked out and to evaluate its effectiveness in solving the problem.

My search has led me to many different types of decision making models, but this one reflects a recent episode in my life that follows:

Last winter, my wife and I went to visit family located in Phoenix, Arizona. During our visit we had the chance to look around the area and view the new developments that were being built. We took the time to look at several model homes and it took no time at all to realize that we needed to relocate in order to buy a brand new home that we wanted. At the time we were living in California and we owned a small condo. When we signed the papers to the new house, we found out that we only had weeks to put our condo up for sale and that we had to find work out in Arizona as soon as possible. One of the contingencies of the new mortgage was for one of us to have full time employment in order for the mortgage rate to be locked in at a doable percentage (Recognize that a problem exists and set a solution objective).

The first step was to get out to Arizona and job search. My wife's job ended because her department shut down and moved to South Dakota. She was on a severance leave and the annual pay was most satisfactory. The house would not be completed for sometime, so it was decided that it would be best if I came out to Arizona to find work and she would stay at her parent's house with our daughter Ava.

While out in Arizona, I stayed with my sister-in-law and her fiancÐ"©. The first step to finding a job was to hit the ground running. I called Temp. Agencies, collected job publications and called everyone that I knew who was in some way affiliated with someone in Phoenix, Arizona (Analyze the situation).

The search for a job was not looking too good. I've just recently graduated with an Associate degree, and that just wasn't enough. All of the good paying jobs wanted someone with years of experience and/or a Bachelors degree (Identify key uncertainties). It was very important to find a job that would pay well and offer some type of benefit package to make this relocation somewhat smooth.

At this point in time I was getting very frustrated with the whole relocating idea, but I was determined to see it through. I sat down with my sister-in-law's fiancÐ"© and started hammering out ideas. Maybe I could get a job anywhere, make less money, get back into school and advance in my career or go through a temp agency, work in my field of choice, get back into school. These were doable ideas but I knew that I needed to find