Decision making involves choosing among alternatives. Problem
solving entails creating or discovering the alternatives. Every problem
includes an unsatisfactory situation, a desired goal, and obstacles that
must be surmounted
in order to reach the goal.
The problem-solving process should be tailored to fit
the problem’s specific characteristics: task complexity, degree of solution
multiplicity,
intrinsic interest, cooperative requirements, population familiarity, level
of technical requirements, acceptance requirements, and the area of freedom.
Groups need some structure in the problem-solving process
to ensure that no important step is overlooked. No single sequence is better
than all others; any structure is better than none at all. All sequences
should conform to Vigilant Interaction Theory.
Whether and when the group should explicitly discuss criteria
for evaluating proposed solutions depends on whether evaluation clarity
is high or low.
The Procedural Model of Problem Solving (P-MOPS) is a
general procedure that includes problem description and analysis, a search
for and
evaluation of alternatives, a decision, and an implementation plan. It
can be modified to suit any problem, from simple to complex.
The Single Question format is a less structured alternative
that simply asks members to agree on key subissues before reaching the
overall solution.
Computer technology can be highly beneficial for generating
ideas, evaluating alternatives, and helping a group make decisions. To
maximize the value of group support systems (GSS), they should be used in
a way that is faithful
to their intent, and members should be well trained in how to use them.
