Credit unions face a challenge typical to many small- and medium-sized businesses: how to make the annual Board of Directors/Management micro retreat an engaging session that sets the strategic direction for the organization. I call these "micro" retreats because small businesses do … [Read more...]
How to: Multi-criteria Analysis – Part 2
05/03/2011 By
A multi-criteria analysis is a formal decision process you might use when making a weighty decision. This is the second of a three-part post that walks you through the process, step-by-step. Part 1: Step 1: Complete your research Step 2: Generate and weight criteria (i.e., define your … [Read more...]
How to: Multi-criteria Analysis – Part 1
04/18/2011 By
You Are What You Decide asked: So, how do you decide? Based on your gut intuition, a formal analysis of trade-offs, your core beliefs, multiple criteria, the alignment to your vision for a preferred future? Or something else? This three-part post will walk step-by-step through a multi-criteria … [Read more...]
You Are What You Decide
03/24/2011 By
Everyday, we make -- or avoid -- decisions. Everyday our choices make us. We are what we decide. Sheena Iyengar reports in The Art of Choosing that the "desire to choose is so innate that we act on it even before we can express it." She continues: In a study of infants as young as four months, … [Read more...]
Cohort Tracker Developed Using Agile Approach
02/25/2011 By
****Note: Prism has released CohortTracker™. Go here to get up-to-date information or view our introductory screen cast.**** As discussed in a recent post, Decision Mechanics are working with Prism Decision Systems to design cohort tracker, an early warning system for identifying high school … [Read more...]
Cohort Tracker Web App Promotes On-time Graduation
01/20/2011 By
****Note: Prism has released CohortTracker™. Go here to get up-to-date information or view our introductory screen cast.**** Prism Decision Systems, LLC, led by Chief Technology Officer Andrew Tait Decision Mechanics Limited, has released a demonstration cohort tracker web application. The … [Read more...]
Are Too Many Options Bad For You?
08/15/2010 By
Ever since I read Sidney Parnes' The Magic of Your Mind more than twenty years ago, I have firmly believed that having more options is preferable to having fewer options. On the other hand, just about every time I go to the grocery store, I wish there were fewer choices. So I am conflicted: my … [Read more...]
Channel Your Inner Crayfish Brain
06/28/2010 By
When making decisions, do you struggle with cost-benefit anaylses? Well, here is motivation for you to improve that skill: According to ScienceDaily, "Crayfish make surprisingly complex, cost-benefit calculations." The findings are from a University of Maryland study. A crayfish has two defense … [Read more...]