Chapter 3: Decision-Making

3.1 Creating a New Decision

Paramount Decisions simplify the decision-making process and help organizations make more transparent and collaborative group decisions. There are several ways to create a new decision.

You can create a new Decision from:

• Your main dashboard after you have signed in.
• From the Decision page in the navigation menu.
• From the Project page in the navigation menu.

The easiest way to create a new decision is from the blue plus sign located on the top right corner of all pages.

To do so:

• Click the plus sign.
• Select create a Decision.
• Fill out the fields, such as Decision name, Tags, Stakeholders etc. The only required field here is the Decision Name and Project. The remaining fields can also be filled later.
• Click Create Decision.

3.2 Step 1: Define Decision

The decision-making process of Paramount Decisions contain of 8 steps, as specified in the upper menu inside the decision. You can navigate through the different steps by clicking on each of the tabs in the menu.

Notice that you need to complete each step before moving to the next one, but you can always go back and edit previous steps.

Each step contains a guide with instructions on what to do. You can either click on Learn more or Watch Video if you need any help. We recommend that you do it the first time you create a new decision.

The first step is to define your decision and add additional info including:

• Tags to help you group and search decisions
• Due date for the decision
• Reminder to help you remember.
• Decision's objective
• Stakeholders involved in the decision
• Additional notes useful for the decision.

Notice that you can also fill out some of this info when you first create the decision. The Decision Name and Project are the only required fields, the rest is optional. We recommended that you and your collaborators fill out the information in step 1 before continuing to the remaining steps.

Click Continue to proceed to step number 2.

3.3 Step 2: Define Alternatives

The second step of the decision-making process is to define the alternatives you are choosing between. An alternative could be two or more people, things, or plans from which one is to be chosen. To learn more, watch the tutorial inside this step, or visit our Resource or Help Center.

To add a new alternative:

1. Click on Add Alternative
2. Place your cursor inside the alternative box, and click to start typing the name of the Alternative
3. Add Description if you need to specify more info. This could be a detailed description to the alternative, or additional references. (Optional)
4. You can also upload a picture for each of the alternatives. Drag & Drop an image into this bo, or Upload it manually from your computer. (Optional)

To Delete an alternative, click on the trash bin next to the alternative.

To add a Comment to an alternative,

1. Click on the Comment icon next to the alternative
2. Write your comment, or Flag it if it need additional attention.

If you have a general comment regarding the decision or this particular step, or if you want to view all previous comments, simply click on the Comment box in the lower right corner

After you have added your alternatives, proceed to step number 3 to define factors & criteria.

3.4 Step 3: Define Factors & Criteria

The third step in the decision-making process is to define the factors and criteria. A factor is an element, part, or component of a decision. To learn more, watch the tutorial inside this step, or visit our Resource or Help Center.

To add a new Factor & Criteria:

1. Click on Add Factor
2. Place your cursor inside the factor box and click to start typing the name of the Factor.
3. Add a Want Criterion for each factor. A ‘want’ criterion represents preferences of one or multiple decision makers that is desired but not mandatory. (Optional)
4. Add Must Criterion for each factor. A ‘must’ criterion represents mandatory conditions that eliminate an alternative from consideration if that alternative does not meet them. (Optional)

Notice that cost is not considered as a factor and due its importance in the decision-making process; it needs to be defined and evaluated separately in step 7.

Remember that adding a want or must criterion is optional and it is not mandatory to have both. You should have at least a want or a must criterion for each factor.

To Delete a factor, click on the trash bin next to the factor.

To add a comment or flag a comment, click on the Comment icon next to the factor.

Please processed to step number 4 in order summarize the attributes after completing this step.

3.5 Step 4: Summarize Attributes

The fourth step in the decision-making process is to summarize the attributes of each alternative. An attribute is a characteristic, quality, or consequence of just one alternative. To learn more, watch the tutorial inside this step, or visit our Resource or Help Center.

To summarize the attributes:

1. Enter the Attributes for all the alternatives in the first factor. You can do it be placing your cursor on the Enter Attribute field next to each alternative. Press enter or click outside the text field to save.
2. Check if the attributes of each alternative meets the Must Criterion, if you have defined such in the previous step. If not, move the slider to No for that particular alternative.
   Remember: If an attribute of an alternative does not satisfy the Must Criterion it will not be considered in the subsequent steps of the decision-making process
3. After typing the attributes for the alternatives in the first factor, continue on to the next factor by clicking on Define the attributes for the following factor, or by clicking on each Factor tab in the top menu. Remember to complete all the steps.
4. Click on the Summary tab to preview a summary of all attributes.

Click on the Comment icon next to the alternative to add a comment.

Please proceed to step number 5 in order to decide the advantages after completing this step.

3.6 Step 5: Decide Advantages

The fifth step in the decision-making process is to decide the advantages of each alternative. An advantage is a benefit, gain, improvement, or betterment. Specifically, an advantage is a difference between the attributes of two alternatives.To learn more, watch the tutorial inside this step, or visit our Resource or Help Center.

To complete this step:

1. First, select the Least Preferred Attribute in the first factor. You can look at the Want Criterion, if you have defined such, to help you determine the least preferred attribute. The Least Preferred Attribute you selected will be underlined.
   
   f there are two attributes that are the same, and also happen to be the least preferred, you will get a message asking you whether you want to mark both as the least preferred. If that is the case, click confirm in order to move to the next part.
2. Second, state the Advantages of each of the alternatives. To do that, you need to determine the difference between the alternative’s attribute and the least preferred attribute selected in the previous part. Fill all the fields and press Enter or click outside to open the next part.
   
   Notice that the alternative with the least preferred attribute has no advantages compared to the other attributes, and therefore is not listed in this part.
3. Finally, select the Most Important Advantage for this factor. If there are two that are the same, select only one. Look at the Want Criterion, if you have defined such, to help you determine which has the most important advantage. The most important advantage you have selected will be marked in blue.
4. After completing the 3 parts for the first factor, continue on to the next factor by clicking on Decide the advantages for the following factor, or by clicking on each Factor tab in the top menu. Remember to complete all the steps.
5. Click on the Summary tab to preview a summary.

Click on the Comment box to add a comment.

Remember: You need to complete each part (,,) in order to be able to work on the following part.

Please proceed to step number 6 to Decide the Importance of advantages after completing this step.

3.7 Step 6: Decide Importance of Advantages

The sixth step in the decision-making process is to decide the Importance of Advantages. In this step, you will encounter the more subjective aspect of the decision-making, and it could be a good idea to invite the different stakeholders to collaborate with you. To learn more, watch the tutorial inside this step, or visit our Resource or Help Center.

To complete this step:

1. First, select the Paramount Advantage, which is the most important advantage among the most important advantages of all factors.
   
   The Paramount Advantage will be highlighted in green, placed in the top of the list, and assigned an importance score of 100 in part 2.
2. Secondly, weigh the importance of the remaining Most Important Advantages relative to the Paramount Advantage on the established scale. You can weigh the Importance of Advantage on the established scale by scrolling the bar horizontally.

   Notice
   If the most important advantage in two different factors are exactly the same, you will get a message asking you whether they should be given the same score. Please confirm if that is the case.

   If an advantages does not have an importance and you do not want to assign a score for the advantage ( leave it at 0), you can still move to the next part by clicking on Continue.

   
3. Finally, decide the importance of each of the remaining Advantages within each factor. If there is no advantage, the weight should be equal to 0. Assign a score by scrolling the bar horizontally.

   Notice that the weight of the remaining advantages in each factor cannot be greater than the weight of the most important advantage in this factor.

   

   Click on the Comment box to add a comment. Please proceed to step number 7 to define the cost of each alternative after completing this step.

3.8 Step 7: Define Cost

The seventh step in the decision-making process is to define the cost of each alternative. The cost is the price that must be paid in order to obtain an alternative and can be broken into several categories. Notice that the cost is treated separately with a clear distinction from the remaining steps. To learn more, watch the tutorial inside this step, or visit our Resource or Help Center.

To define the cost:

1. Start by defining the Currency you will be using from the menu above the table
2. Enter the name of the Cost Category in the table’s header. Press enter or click outside the field to exit. The category could be the initial cost, maintenance cost, taxes, insurance etc.
3. Enter the Cost for each alternative by clicking on the field next to it. Press enter or click outside the field to exit. The total cost for each alternative, which is the sum of all categories is shown under Total to the right in the table

To Add a cost category:

1. Click on the + sign in the table’s header.
2. Enter the name of the cost category

To Delete a cost category:

1. Click inside the text field for the category that you want to delete.
2. The + sign will turn to x. Click on the x sign to remove the cost category .

3.9 Step 8: Decide

The eighth and last step in the decision-making process is to make a decision. A decision is based on the combination of the importance of advantages and the cost. Alternatives with higher cost but lower importance of advantages are "inferior" alternatives and should not be considered. To learn more, watch the tutorial inside this step, or visit our Resource or Help Center.

All alternatives are shown on the graph, with Cost along the x-axis, and Total Important of Advantages along the y-axis. Hover over alternatives in the chart to view more info.

You can Filter the alternatives inside the chart by scrolling the cost and importance of advantages filter.

A Summary of the chart content is shown in the table below the chart. Each alternative is given a unique color to make it easier to find inside the chart. You can also Hide alternatives from the chart, by scrolling to ‘No’ next to the alternative inside the table.

To make a decision:

1. Select the desired Alternative from the list.
2. Add some additional Notes to explain the rationale of your decision.
3. You can choose to Lock the decision so no one can change it later. Only a decision owner can unlock the decision and edit it.
4. Click Save once you're done.

Once you Save the decision, a new window will appear asking you what you want to do next. You can View Report, Invite Collaborator or Assign Tasks. Learn more about this in the next chapter.