Effective decision-making is making choices that successfully solve or prevent emerging problems in a timely manner. It involves taking responsibility for, and demonstrating commitment to, decisions that have been made. Effective AM decisions are based on fair policies and rules, consistently applied, and aligned with organizational and AM principles and values and the organization’s level of service framework. Decision-making involves planning, and adapting plans to changing situations. Thinking long-term, strategically, and creatively is critical to making sound decisions and good plans.
Effective Behaviours:
- Analyzes decision requirements, and applies appropriate decision support tools, information and methods in accordance with best practice. Translates decision processes, risk frameworks, scenarios, criteria and scoring methodologies into analytical models. Utilizes business process management to improve and manage decision processes. Applies a comprehensive framework and consistent methodology to scope, document and assess solution options, ensuring all matters important to the organization are addressed.
- Creates decision processes that give affected parties opportunities for input. Provides sufficient and credible information necessary for affected parties to participate effectively in decision processes. Ensures key information for decision-makers is clearly identified, highlighted and concisely described. Is transparent on the criteria used to make decisions, what the final decisions are, and how they were reached.
- Integrates life cycle information and analysis in decision-making processes. Takes a long-term and life cycle view when analyzing options and costs. Takes a systemic, network view when setting priorities and analyzing constraints and opportunities. Views benefits and costs holistically, fully considering all primary and secondary impacts to environmental, social, economic, and infrastructure dimensions. Balances affordability, risk, and level of service in decisions.
- Utilizes a transparent, consistent and documented process, with common criteria, to prioritize which capital projects to fund, in which order, and to choose between funding mechanisms. Ties financial information from funding models to the project prioritization process to identify constraints and opportunities. Effectively integrates the organization’s prioritization and budgeting processes. Balances formal, objective scoring with common sense, rational evaluation to realize highest value or “best” outcomes.
- Maintains a sense of urgency to complete a task or achieve an objective that is considered a priority. Proactively seeks out information, resources, and support to make timely, but rational, decisions on the best available data. Acts confidently and decisively, but with purpose, direction and respect.
