Week 10_Decision Making_Student

Training Decision Making for Coherence

  • Delivered by: Dr. Ashley Ferkol

  • Week: 10 Sport Science 3Ah 2024

  • Email: aferkol@exseed.ed.ac.uk

  • Original Content Created by: Hugh Richards

Outline

  • Decision Making (DM)

    • Defining characteristics, processes

    • Teams achieving coherence in decision making

    • Shared Mental Models (SMM)

    • How to develop & train SMM & DM

Decision Making Characteristics and Processes

  • Effective Decision-Making (D-M)

    • Definition: Commitment to a course of action to achieve a desired goal (Yates, 2003)

    • Important distinction: Decision ≠ outcome

      • Great decisions may have poor outcomes

      • Poor decisions can yield good outcomes

  • Effective decision-making characterized by:

    • Flexibility (dynamic adaptability)

    • Quickness (speed of decision-making)

    • Accuracy (alignment with plans & expectations)

    • Resilience (ability to perform under stress/uncertainty)

    • Risk-taking (appropriateness to conditions)

How to Make Effective Decisions

  • Decision-making Process (Flin et al., 2008):

    1. Processing Information: Understand the problem and key situational variables (e.g., score, time, goals)

    2. Reasoning: Generate and consider options based on available information

    3. Choose and Implement: Select an option and take action

    4. Monitor and Review: Assess the outcome of the decision

Contrasting Slow and Fast Decision Making

  • Classical Decision Making (CDM):

    • Structured process for optimal decisions

    • Best for static conditions with ample time

  • Naturalistic Decision Making (NDM):

    • Focus on how experts decide in dynamic conditions

    • Takes into account context and knowledge of the decision-maker

Importance of Coherent Decision-Making

  • Team coherence in decision making ensures that members interpret situations similarly and make rapid decisions together.

    • Examples of team coherence leverage shared knowledge and collective understanding.

Shared Mental Models in Decision Making

  • Definition: Common understanding among team members to predict actions, evaluate situations, and coordinate effectively.

  • Elements of SMM:

    • Knowledge sharing (mutual understanding of tasks and roles)

    • Recognition of situational cues and comprehension of problems

    • Shared strategies and coordinated actions

Achieving Coherence in Decision Making

  1. Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs):

    • Pre-established plans and processes for minimal time and static actions.

  2. Command Structure:

    • Team listens to a leader; relies on strong communication.

  3. Shared Mental Models:

    • Focuses on understanding among members and adaptability.

Developing Shared Mental Models

  • Training Techniques:

    • Clarifying knowledge structures for cues, tasks, and roles; aspects include:

      • Knowledge of important cues

      • Comprehension of roles and interaction expectations

  • Importance of shared understanding fosters unitary functioning in teams.

Types of Knowledge

  • Declarative Knowledge: Knowing who, what, & where

  • Procedural Knowledge: Knowing how to execute tasks

  • Explicit Knowledge: Communicated clearly through language

  • Implicit Knowledge: Underlying understanding not easily articulated

  • Tacit Knowledge: Knowledge gained from experience, difficult to express

Training for Shared Mental Models

  • Focus on real tasks, environments, and teams for effective training.

  • Key goals: foster shared understanding and consistent expectations among members.

Case Studies in Decision-Making Training

  • Insights from research on developing coherent decision-making in sports (e.g., rugby, netball referees).

  • Emphasis on the role of video-based scenarios and peer discussions for improving decision-making skills.

Summary Points

  • SMMs are essential knowledge structures for team coherence.

  • Train SMMs through realistic exposure to expert knowledge and team dynamics.

  • Increased coherence leads to better perceptions, comprehension, and predictive capabilities in team activities.