19 04 2023 Decision Making

ETAC 3242
Research Methodology
Decision Making
Dr. Akalanka Silva
Department of Construction Technology 1
What is Decision Making?
• Decision making is the process of making
choices by identifying a decision, gathering
information, and assessing alternative
resolutions.
• Using a step-by-step decision-making process
can help you make more deliberate,
thoughtful decisions by organizing relevant
information and defining alternatives. This
increases the chances that you will choose the
most satisfying alternative possible.
2
Decision Making and Research..
• Two main approaches
• Making decisions at the
beginning and do research to
find out the impacts of the
decision
• Making decisions by using
research information
3
Making Decisions at the Beginning
4
Making Decisions at the Beginning..
• Step 1: Identify the decision
• You realize that you need to
make a decision. Try to
clearly define the nature of
the decision you must
make. This first step is very
important.
5
• Step 2: Gather relevant information
• Collect some pertinent information before you make your decision:
what information is needed, the best sources of information, and
how to get it. This step involves both internal and external “work.”
Some information is internal: you’ll seek it through a process of
self-assessment. Other information is external: you’ll find it online,
in books, from other people, and from other sources.
6
• Step 3: Identify the alternatives
• As you collect information, you will probably identify several possible paths of action, or
alternatives. You can also use your imagination and additional information to construct
new alternatives. In this step, you will list all possible and desirable alternatives.
• Step 4: Weigh the evidence
• Draw on your information and emotions to imagine what it would be like if you carried
out each of the alternatives to the end. Evaluate whether the need identified in Step 1
would be met or resolved through the use of each alternative. As you go through this
difficult internal process, you’ll begin to favor certain alternatives: those that seem to
have a higher potential for reaching your goal. Finally, place the alternatives in a priority
order, based upon your own value system.
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• Step 5: Choose among alternatives
• Once you have weighed all the evidence, you are ready to select the alternative that seems to
be best one for you. You may even choose a combination of alternatives. Your choice in Step 5
may very likely be the same or similar to the alternative you placed at the top of your list at the
end of Step 4.
• Step 6: Take action
• You’re now ready to take some positive action by beginning to implement the alternative you
chose in Step 5.
• Step 7: Review your decision & its consequences
• In this final step, consider the results of your decision and evaluate whether or not it has
resolved the need you identified in Step 1. If the decision has not met the identified need, you
may want to repeat certain steps of the process to make a new decision. For example, you might
want to gather more detailed or somewhat different information or explore additional
alternatives. 8
Example:
• Once you have weighed all the evidence, you are ready to select the alternative that seems to be best
one for you. You may even choose a combination of alternatives. Your choice in Step 5 may very likely be
the same or similar to the alternative you placed at the top of your list at the end of Step 4.

• You’re now ready to take some positive action by beginning to implement the alternative you chose in
Step 5.

• In this final step, consider the results of your decision and evaluate whether or not it has resolved the
need you identified in Step 1. If the decision has not met the identified need, you may want to repeat
certain steps of the process to make a new decision. For example, you might want to gather more
detailed or somewhat different information or explore additional alternatives.
9
Making Decisions by using Research
10
Example:
• Once you have weighed all the evidence, you are ready to select the alternative
that seems to be best one for you. You may even choose a combination of
alternatives. Your choice in Step 5 may very likely be the same or similar to the
alternative you placed at the top of your list at the end of Step 4.

• You’re now ready to take some positive action by beginning to implement the
alternative you chose in Step 5.

• In this final step, consider the results of your decision and evaluate whether or
not it has resolved the need you identified in Step 1. If the decision has not met
the identified need, you may want to repeat certain steps of the process to make
a new decision. For example, you might want to gather more detailed or
somewhat different information or explore additional alternatives.
11
What Can Go Wrong?
• Bias: data and information may reflect one aspect of a
situation but not others.
• Bias may arise by accident or deliberate manipulation
of the data or information. Bias may arise from faulty
problem specification, research design, sampling, data
collection, analysis, interpretation, and presentation -
that is at any stage of the research process.
• It can be very difficult to detect and prevent as we all
have inadequate understandings which bias our
research.
• Recognising, and as far as possible reducing, bias is a
critical research skill and a major explicit and implicit
focus of this module.
12
What Can Go Wrong?..
• Recording and editing: recording, transcription, and editing errors may be
introduced at the observational stage, during recording, collating, and analysis.
• Selection: data and information selected may not be relevant to the decision
for which the information is required. Information for one decision-maker may
be data to another ( depending upon the decisions they are concerned with.
• Time: if each step takes too much time, then the whole process may not deliver
information to the relevant decision-makers in time to be used in decision-
making.
• Analysis and interpretation: particular problems may arise in analysis and
interpretation, such as the use of an inappropriate analysis technique leading
to invalid interpretation.
13
How Research is Used in Decision Making?
• Remember, the utilisation of research
for decision-making is mediated by
social and political factors.
• Research findings do not always feed
directly into decision-making for
policy and practice.
• However, research may influence the
policy process and the actions of
practitioners even if not used directly. 14
• Four main types of research
utilisation have been
identified (Nutley et al 2003).
1. Instrumental use - research
feeds directly into decision
making
15
2. Conceptual use - research changes practitioners' understanding
providing new ways of thinking
3. Mobilisation of support - research as an instrument of persuasion
4. Wider influence - research findings may come into use through
networks of practitioners and researchers and alter policy
paradigms or belief communities
16
Thank You
17
References
• Probability-and-statistics: How to find sample-size: https://www.statisticshowto.com
• Presentations from previous years by Ms. Dilani Dassanayake
• Research methodology: https://www.scribbr.com/methodology
• https://www.soas.ac.uk/cedep-demos/000_P506_RM_3736-Demo/unit1/page_16.html
• https://www.umassd.edu/fycm/decision-making/process/
18
Prepare for an Individual Presentation
• Topic: think of a research topic by yourself
• Develop research questions and hypothesis
• Think about data
• What type of data?
• Which data collection methods?
• Which sampling methods?
• How to collect samples? Search, find and download data from the internet
• Hint (You can use data from published research papers)
• Analyse data
• Which methods (Qualitative or quantitative?)
• Interpret data
• Generate graphs charts etc.
• Present: 10 mins MS PowerPoint presentation
• Deadline: 05/05/2023
• How to submit: Upload a video recording into LMS
19

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ETAC 3242

• Step 6: Take action

• Step 7: Review your decision & its consequences

• Step 6: Take action

• Step 7: Review your decision & its consequences

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