Although problem solving can be seen to involve decision making and decision making can be seen to involve problem solving this does not mean that their mutual overlap is exclusive. For example, the statement, "...commit to a course of action [...] entails more than simply choosing from among options or between alternatives" doesn't recognize the recent findings by Gary Klein, e.g., "Intuition at Work" in which Recognition-primed Decision Making does not involve conscious choice among alternatives. Althouogh the presence of alternatives and the act of choice both may be inferred such has not been demonstrated.
This is non-trivial because we make conscious choice between alternatives only in a small fraction our episodes. Most of the time we simply act in accordance with our mental model.
Jack Ring
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, November 02, 2005 7:18 AM
Subject: [problem-solving] Problem Solving and Decision Making
In response to my post about a new problem solving discussion list, several
people on one of the lists to which I posted it have commented about the
link to or integral nature of decision making.
Please note that I am posting this reply back to the list where those
remarks originated and also to the new problem solving discussion list.
One of the best-known commercial problem solving offerings is the
Kepner-Tregoe workshop. KT has always maintained a link between problem
solving and decision making. I assume others have done so as well. I
mention this not because I'm going to invoke KT as "the" authority but just
to acknowledge their position as an authority. There are numerous others.
I think one can conceptualize problem solving and decision making as linked,
as integral portions of some larger process, as integral portions of each
other and even as separate (related or unrelated) processes. I also don't
think it makes much of a difference which conceptual view you take except in
relation to whatever task is at hand. We regularly parse the world into
manageable chunks and I see no reason why we can't or shouldn't do that with
problem solving and decision making.
That said, one of my views of problem solving and decision making does
indeed see them as inseparable. Allow me to explain.
To solve a problem is to carry out some course of action that produces a
desired result or set of results, what some refer to as "the solved state."
To decide is to commit to a course of action and that entails more than
simply choosing from among options or between alternatives. So, yes, as a
practical matter, I see problem solving and decision making as inextricably
intertwined. I also see utility in separating the two for purposes of
analysis, discussion and understanding.
Regards,
Fred Nickols
"Assistance at a Distance"
nickols@att.net
www.nickols.us
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