Notion – DACI Decisions Template

Notion – DACI Decisions Template

This template is perfect for clarifying the rationale you’ve used for a decision. What does DACI mean? DACI stands for Driver, Approver, Contributor and Informed. This helps draw clear lines about what the expectations are for each team member. Raise your hand if your team has ever spent hours debating whether to go left or right. Or maybe you’ve had to decide between two equally valid paths forward. That’s where the Decision Template comes into play. By recording every path your team has explored and the pros and cons associated with each, you’ll prevent analysis paralysis and ensure that everyone knows what they’re working off of. In addition, you’ll eliminate the risk of having to revisit decisions later because you forgot something important. Finally, the Decision Template allows you to track progress toward a decision, so you can share milestones along the way with stakeholders.

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What you need before purchase

• Basic knowledge of how to use Notion
• Paid Notion account if you’re looking to add lots of content to your template / Notion account (sign up here). Not much content? You’re able to use their free account.

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After purchase

After purchase, you’ll be able to view the template immediately. The template can be added to your Notion account by:

• Click on the template download link in Gumroad
• When viewing the Notion template, click on the “Duplicate” link in the top-right of your screen
• The template will now be available in your own Notion account

For ongoing use, the steps are:

• Login to Notion and select the template you want to view
• Click on the Duplicate link in the top-right of your screen to create a copy to use
• You’ll be able to retain the Notion template and work on the Duplicate (with a new name) and can repeat this process whenever you want to use the template again

About DACI

DACI Decision Making Framework and the DACI Decision Support System (DACIS) are both available from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The DACI Decision-Making Process Model is a tool that can be used by decision-makers to identify, analyze, and evaluate alternative courses of action in order to make better decisions. The model consists of four major components:

• A set of decision alternatives;
• An analysis framework for evaluating each alternative;
• A process for selecting among the alternatives; and
• A method for implementing the selected course of action.

What Is DACI?

Decision Analysis and Control Integration (DACI) is an approach to making decisions that integrates information about the problem being addressed with information about how it should be solved. It is based on the premise that the best way to solve problems is to understand them first. This understanding comes from analyzing the problem using the appropriate tools. Once the problem has been analyzed, the solution must then be implemented. In this sense, DACI is a methodology for solving problems.

The DACI Approach to Making Decisions

The DACI approach to making decisions involves five basic steps:

1. Identify the problem.
2. Analyze the problem.
3. Evaluate alternatives.
4. Choose the best alternative.
5. Implement the choice.

How Does DACI Work?

Decision Analysis and Control Integration (or DACI) is a systematic approach to making decisions that combine analytical techniques with practical experience. It uses a structured decision-making process that includes three steps: Problem Identification, Alternative Evaluation, and Decision Implementation.

Problem Identification

In the first step of the decision-making process, the decision-maker identifies the problem to be solved. The problem may be defined as a specific situation or condition that needs to be resolved. For example, if you have a problem with your computer system, the problem might be “My computer won’t start up.” If you want to buy a new car, the problem might be, “Which one do I choose?”

Alternative Evaluation

In the second step of the decision-analysis process, the decision-maker evaluates the different options available to resolve the identified problem. Options are any possible solutions to the problem. They include all the ways in which the problem could be resolved. For example:

• You could repair your computer yourself.
• You could call a technician to fix it.
• You could purchase a new computer.
• You could sell your old computer.
• You can decide not to replace the computer at all.

Once the options have been evaluated, the decision maker selects the most promising option(s) to implement.

Decision Implementation

In the third step of the decision-implementation process, the decision-maker implements the chosen option(s). This means that he or she takes action to carry out the plan. For example, if the decision maker decides to buy a new computer, he or she would go to the store and buy one. Or, if the decision maker decided to repair his or her computer, he or she might try to figure out what’s wrong with it.

Brief History of the DACI Model

The DACI model was developed by Dr Robert H. Stoner, who founded the Center for Applied Research in Information Technology at the University of California, Berkeley. He also served as Director of the National Science Foundation’s Computer Systems Program Office. His work focused on developing methods for integrating knowledge into complex systems. Dr Stoner published his ideas in a book entitled Decision Analysis and Control Integration: A New Framework for Decision Making (Academic Press, 1981). This book introduced the DACI model and provided detailed instructions for applying it. Dr Stoner later expanded his thinking about decision analysis and control integration to develop a set of principles that govern the entire decision-making process. These principles were published in a book entitled Principles of Decision Analysis and Control Integration, 2nd Edition (Springer-Verlag, 1988). Dr Stoner died unexpectedly in 1991. Since then, many people have used the DACI model to make better decisions.

Roles and Responsibilities in the DACI Decision Model explained

A person who is using the DACI model has several roles during the decision-making process. Each role plays an important part in helping the decision-maker reach a good decision.

• Problem Solver – The problem solver helps identify the problem to be solved and analyzes the problem. The problem solver looks for information and data needed to solve the problem. The problem-solver uses these facts and figures to help him or her understand the situation.
• Information Collector – The information collector collects relevant information from various sources. The information collector gathers facts and figures that may be useful in solving the problem.
• Evaluator – The evaluator evaluates the different options available for resolving the problem. The evaluator considers how each option will affect the problem.
• Chooser – The chooser chooses among the different options. The chooser selects the best solution based on the criteria established by the evaluator.
• Implementer – The implementer carries out the selected course of action. The implementer follows through on the decision made by the chooser.
• Decision Maker – The decision maker makes the final decision. The decision maker must decide which option to choose.

DACI Model Roles Explained

In this section, we explain the roles of the DACI model. We show you how to apply the DACI model to your own situations.

Problem Solver: Identifying the Problem

When someone wants to make a decision, he or she first needs to know what the problem is. In other words, the problem solver needs to figure out what the problem is before he or she can start looking for solutions. For example, suppose that you want to buy a new car. You need to determine whether you should get a compact car, a midsize car, or a large car. If you don’t know what kind of car you want, you won’t be able to find one that meets all of your requirements. To find out what type of car you want, ask yourself questions such as: What do I like? What are my priorities? How much money am I willing to spend? What features do I want in a car? If you’re not sure what you want, try asking others for advice. For example, if you’re shopping for a car, talk with friends and family members. They probably already have some ideas about cars they’d like to see you drive. Or, you could look at ads in magazines or newspapers. If you still aren’t sure what kind of car you would like, you might consider taking a test drive. This way, you’ll be able to compare the cars side by side and see which ones appeal to you most.

Information Collector: Collecting Information

After you’ve identified the problem, it’s time to collect the necessary information. To gather information, you need to ask questions. Questions provide you with clues that lead to answers. Questions also give you insight into people’s attitudes and feelings. When you ask questions, you learn more about the problem than you did when you were just thinking about it. You can ask open-ended questions or closed-ended questions. Open-ended questions allow you to explore many possibilities. Closed-ended questions help narrow down your choices. Open-ended questions include “What do you think?” “How do you feel about…” “Why do you think..?” “Which choice appeals to you most?” Closed-ended questions include “Do you prefer..?” “Is there anything else you’d like to add?” “Would you rather…or would you rather…?”

Evaluator: Evaluating Options

Once you’ve collected enough information, it’s time to evaluate the available options. An option is any possible solution to the problem. Some problems may require only one solution. Other problems may have several good solutions. Still, other problems may have no acceptable solutions. Before evaluating an option, you need to establish the criteria against which you will judge the option. These criteria are called evaluation standards. Evaluation standards tell you how well each option satisfies certain conditions. The best way to set up evaluation standards is to identify the goal of the decision. The goal tells you why you’re making the decision. Then, you can decide on the criteria that will help you reach the goal.

Chooser: Choosing an Option

When you’ve evaluated the available options, it’s time to choose an option. A chooser chooses among alternatives because he wants something from them. He doesn’t care about their qualities as long as they meet his needs. A chooser evaluates the options based on the criteria established earlier. After choosing an option, he compares it to the other options to make sure that it meets all the requirements. If it does, then he selects it. Otherwise, he rejects it. A chooser makes a final selection after considering the consequences of each alternative. If the consequences are positive, he likes the option; if they are negative, he dislikes it.

Implementer: Implementing Your Decision

Once you’ve chosen an option, you must implement it. Implementation means putting the selected option into action. You can either take immediate action or wait until later.

Decision Maker: Making Decisions

Once you’ve chosen an option, it’s time to make a decision. A decision maker decides whether to accept or reject an option. If you want to make a decision, you first need to define the problem. This helps you understand what you’re deciding. It also gives you some guidelines for making the right decision. Next, you need to select an option. Once you’ve made this choice, you must compare the option to the others. Finally, you must determine whether to accept or reject the option. Decision-makers often say that they don’t know what to do next. They just don’t know what to choose. In fact, they usually have more than one option and they aren’t sure which one to pick. This uncertainty is normal. When faced with multiple options, people tend to be indecisive. However, you should try to overcome your indecisiveness by thinking through the pros and cons of each option. You can also ask yourself questions such as “What would I do in my situation?” “How could I improve my chances of success?” “What would I regret most if I didn’t act now?”