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How do you go about making a big decision?

  • April 3, 2017 at 9:05 pm

    #336782

    Comments posted to this topic are about the item How do you go about making a big decision?

  • April 4, 2017 at 2:23 am

    #1936457

    I try and use the same method each time (in the same order):

    • Consider what I already know.


    • Online research.


    • Query fellow professionals I trust.


    • Hands on evaluation. (For an interview it is just the interview. I don't literally touch candidates. That would be wrong.)


    This has served me quite well. I truly believe in doing ones own research before you hassle fellow professionals (not dissimilar to what I expect from all of us with regards to forum questions).

    Gaz

    -- Stop your grinnin' and drop your linen...they're everywhere!!!

  • April 4, 2017 at 5:37 am

    #1936487

    I guess it's implicit in the online research but I would emphasise validating what I think I know.  Things move so quickly in the Big Data space that what was true last week isn't true today.  Ditto information on what is available in the cloud.

    I think it is vitally important to document the decision and the key considerations.  If the decision turns out to be unsuccessful then for your own sanity you need to something to identify how you could improve.

    • Who was consulted and in what capacity
    • Constraints under which you were operating
    • Risks and their likelihood, including the risk of doing nothing
    • Communication of actions with timescales, decisions, risks etc

    I take the view that we try to make the best decision we can with the information that we have at the time.  It may well be that later information contradicts this but that information was not available at the point where the decision was made.
    If the decision really is a big one then I'd recommend maintaining a journal as to how things unfurl paying particular attention to dates/times when those things come to be.

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  • April 4, 2017 at 6:48 am

    #1936509

    Every decision is a gamble. You always know much less than what you don't know. So you need to play the odds, and also have a viable plan B (or C). Sometimes a gut feel is more important than you realize. Successful evolution has provided our brains with an ability to make choices when complete, reliable, or logical information is missing. Don't ignore this component.

    ...

    -- FORTRAN manual for Xerox Computers --

  • April 4, 2017 at 6:57 am

    #1936513

    I've had a 5 year old Nissan Leaf for a month now.  I share your range concerns. I've got a 60 mile range, which is enough to get to the Amtrak station and back occasionally. The gen 2 Leaf with a rumored 40KWh or 60 KWh battery will be announced in Sept.

    Just bought a new car for wife, and she certainly goes with gut. I wished we'd evaluated more options, and not rush into a purchase. I find it takes a few weeks to let enthusiasm fades and see the real choices.

  • April 4, 2017 at 8:21 am

    #1936550

    Interestingly, some research shows that "gut feel" decisions are more often than not wrong. In fact I read a review on the research subject a couple of years ago (I have no idea where, sorry) that had evidence to show statistically random choices proved more accurate than evaluated selection which proved more accurate than "instinct".

    Having said that, my wife appears to be uncannily accurate in all of her opinions on people, which are based on gut feel, when compared to my evaluations. In this instance she is always right. Once even she admitted that I was right on this one particular occasion only of herself to be proven correct after all 12 months later. :blink:

    Gaz

    -- Stop your grinnin' and drop your linen...they're everywhere!!!

  • April 4, 2017 at 9:14 am

    #1936568

    The one thing that concerns me, is that we are all too ready to punish someone for the rest of their life for something they did (perhaps only once) and have already served their time for. If we refuse to consider people who have been convicted of crimes, how are they ever supposed to turn their life around? I'm not suggesting we ignore what they did, but we might be missing a potentially excellent employee because of a known prior mistake. Being aware of the potential issue, we can take precautions to prevent it from happening again.

  • April 4, 2017 at 12:05 pm

    #1936620

    Gary Varga - Tuesday, April 4, 2017 2:23 AM

    I try and use the same method each time (in the same order):

    • Consider what I already know or don't know.


    • Online research.


    • Query fellow professionals I trust.


    • Hands on evaluation. (For an interview it is just the interview. I don't literally touch candidates. That would be wrong.)


    This has served me quite well. I truly believe in doing ones own research before you hassle fellow professionals (not dissimilar to what I expect from all of us with regards to forum questions).

    Not too different from what I do. I updated your list with my addition.

    Jason...AKA CirqueDeSQLeil
    _______________________________________________
    I have given a name to my pain...MCM SQL Server, MVP
    SQL RNNR
    Posting Performance Based Questions - Gail Shaw[/url]
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  • April 4, 2017 at 8:55 pm

    #1936680

    Sometimes I will over analyze all of the options. Weighing the pros and cons of each. For some situations I've made an Excel spreadsheet, assigned points to each (positive if its a pro, negative if its a con). But I don't always think that has done well for me. I am trying to allow myself to go with my "gut feeling" about some things I decide upon. There's studies I've read which indicate that more often than one thinks a first choice is the better one than one people make after very lengthy analysis.

    Guess I should say I'm talking more in the general sense about making a major decision about everything in life, rather than just technical issues.

    Rod

  • April 5, 2017 at 12:14 am

    #1936699

    I had a boss who said "Fetch the architecture coin"!
    I'm not convinced he was wrong

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  • April 5, 2017 at 2:59 am

    #1936728

    Julie Breutzmann - Tuesday, April 4, 2017 9:14 AM

    The one thing that concerns me, is that we are all too ready to punish someone for the rest of their life for something they did (perhaps only once) and have already served their time for. If we refuse to consider people who have been convicted of crimes, how are they ever supposed to turn their life around? I'm not suggesting we ignore what they did, but we might be missing a potentially excellent employee because of a known prior mistake. Being aware of the potential issue, we can take precautions to prevent it from happening again.

    I agree. However, I bet I never get the chance to give someone with a conviction an opportunity as I bet that the recruitment agencies filter them all out.

    Gaz

    -- Stop your grinnin' and drop your linen...they're everywhere!!!

  • April 5, 2017 at 3:16 am

    #1936736

    SQLRNNR - Tuesday, April 4, 2017 12:05 PM

    Gary Varga - Tuesday, April 4, 2017 2:23 AM

    I try and use the same method each time (in the same order):

    • Consider what I already know or don't know.


    • Online research.


    • Query fellow professionals I trust.


    • Hands on evaluation. (For an interview it is just the interview. I don't literally touch candidates. That would be wrong.)


    This has served me quite well. I truly believe in doing ones own research before you hassle fellow professionals (not dissimilar to what I expect from all of us with regards to forum questions).

    Not too different from what I do. I updated your list with my addition.

    Now that better reflects what I do too. Nice one.

    Gaz

    -- Stop your grinnin' and drop your linen...they're everywhere!!!

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