Making Decisions and Solving Problems

Course(s) Used:

  • Team and Small Group Communication

Goals and Objectives:

  • Students can describe the various mechanisms available to make decisions within groups

Rationale:

Groups work best when the decision-making process is explicitly identified and decision-making mechanisms are chosen intelligently

Materials Needed

Materials:

  • None

Technology:

  • Classroom computer and projector

Outline of the Lesson

  1. Review of previous session's content
  2. Groups make the best decisions when the process is explicitly identified1
  3. There are 5 steps to group decision-making:
    1. Assess the situation
    2. Identify goals
    3. Identify alternatives
    4. Evaluate alternatives and their consequences
    5. Actually making the decision2
  4. Group decision-making mechanisms
    1. Choice of mechanism represents a 3-way trade-off between Decision Quality, Relationships, and Speed
    2. Decision by Expert
    3. Averaging Individual Rankings/Ratings
    4. Random Choice
    5. Majority Decision
    6. Minority Decision
    7. Consensus
    8. Judge systems34
  5. Lesson closing

Variations and Accommodations

Follow guidance from local accommodation authorities.

  1. Gouran, D. S. & Hirokawa, R. Y. (1996). Functional theory and communication in decision-making and problem-solving groups: An expanded view. In R. Y. Hirokawa and M. S. Poole, Eds., Communication and group decision making, 55--80. Sage.↩

  2. Today's lesson focuses on mechanisms for group decision-making↩

  3. This method is not described in the textbook↩

  4. This method includes decisions made by a leader↩

Previous
Next

Last updated on 2020-04-14