!!!!!Must use atleast 3 course materials from list provided below for references and in text citations.!!!!!
Must refer to attachments to answer questions.
BRAINSTORMING ASSIGNMENT FOR WEEK 5:
MDQ STEP THREE: BUILDING THE DECISION
GATHERING INFORMATION
The purpose of week 5’s Brainstorming Exercise is to address the type of information PPO needs to gather and come up with alternatives for PPO to use in the MDQ decision making model. Useful information is anything we know, can find out or should know that might influence our decision making but is not under our control. This includes experience from the past or future situations as well as factual information. This is any information that will help you anticipate outcomes, consequences or actions when acting on our alternatives.
How to Start Gathering Information- Alternative Outcomes and Consequences:
Ask yourself these questions and reflect on the answers as you prepare your formal response. Discuss “Gathering Information” in paragraph format. Limit your discussion to one or two paragraphs for this portion because the focus in the project must be on the alternatives for PPO.
Begin by Asking yourself the Following Questions:
v What do I need to know to make a better decision? Example: if you were buying a car what are the current prices?But remember these questions need to be about what you need to know about PPO’s alternatives.
v How can I obtain the information? Technology plays a big part here when looking at business decisions because the amount and type of data available has become extensive.
v Do I believe the information? Is the source biased? If the car salesman assures you that his price is the cheapest in town is he likely to be right?
v What are the potential outcomes of each alternative? Are they likely to happen? Do I need more information?
v Who can help me find the answers?
v What stops me from finding the information?
Discuss these in terms of the MDQ model and PPO’s situation, using in-text citations and facts from the case study. Do not discuss the car or house example that was provided to you. The purpose of this exercise is to discuss PPO.
Traps to Avoid: You need to watch out for these!
· Laziness or reluctance to find out.
· Choosing to believe something is true that is not, to avoid getting outside your comfort zone. (Here is good to go back to week two when we discussed personality types and how they affected the way we gather and interpret information. Knowing your type is helpful at this stage so that you can avoid the bias that comes with your personality.)
· Assuming the future will be like the past.
· Avoiding uncertainty or risk.
· Ignoring things, you do not understand.
· Getting swamped with too much information.
CREATING ALTERNATIVES:
How to Start: Ask yourself these questions and reflect on the answers as you prepare your formal response. Discuss each “Alternative” in a separate paragraph using support and sources.
v What alternatives meet my objectives in making this decision?
v Are any potentially good alternatives not on the list?
v Is there an alternative that others may consider that I may not?
v Are my alternatives logical? (can they be realistically be executed, should waiting to make the decision be a real possibility?)
v Do they include the cares of others?
v Do the alternatives seem to be a complete set or does something seem to be missing?
v What might someone I trust and admire do?
v If I change my perspective in looking at the decision would a new alternative be possible? (This is like looking at the problem from the idea that the glass is half full rather the half empty. For example, if all your alternatives are based on the idea that making the product now is important and none of the really meet the goal of the decision, reexamine the assumption that now is a must. Perhaps next month or next year would work just as well and thus open up better alternatives.
Discuss these in terms of the MDQ model using in-text citations and applying the case study.
Traps to avoid: You need to watch out for these!
· Assuming no alternatives exist
· Too many alternatives, too many variations of the same thing
· Considering unrealistic alternatives
· Accepting unnecessary limits to alternatives
· Forgetting the do nothing alternative
· Not Brainstorming with Others
· Not employing a wish list
NOTE: Objectives need to be clarified before coming up with Alternatives and in using the Decision Matrix in the next steps of the MDQ Model. Create as many alternatives that come to mind even if they are not reasonable. Discuss what your alternatives are, justifying each of them using course material. Provide feedback to your classmates. Limit your objectives and alternatives to no more than SIX, no less than FOUR.
Course Material
· https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7pp7xT4rVc
· http://www.structureddecisionmaking.org/steps/step4consequences/consequences3/
· http://www.structureddecisionmaking.org/steps/objectives/
· http://www.structureddecisionmaking.org/steps/step3alternatives/