Team decision-making techniques

You can improve your chances of effective team decision-making by following structured team decision-making techniques.

Here three useful techniques for various stages of the project. Talk with your team about what may best suit everyone.

1. Brainwriting - an early stage technique that encourages 'blue sky' thinking and idea categorisation;
2. Nominal group technique - another early stage technique that encourages team discussion; and
3. Decision matrix - a detailed technique for finalising decisions.

Rules for team decision making
Regardless of the technique that you use, the principles of good teamwork should be applied. Namely:

• The primary goal of the decision-making exercise is endorsed by all members.
• Each team member feels that they have a voice.
• There is a team ethic of respect for others' views.
• There is open communication; feedback (both verbal and non-verbal) is given and received in a professional and collegial way.
• There is mutual trust.
• There is an agreed process for resolution of any conflicts that may arise.
• We recommend that any decision making session is preceded by restatement and acknowledgement of these principles.

What about when discussions get heated?
We provide strategies for preventing arguments and resolving conflict over decision making in other sections of this course.

For information about preventing arguments click here (link to come.)

For information about general steps for conflict resolution click here (link to come.)