Zahra Jafarnia’s Post

📌#ACMPWebinar TOMORROW (10/1): Attend our next #ACMPWebinar: https://bit.ly/3BornPy 💻 Reducing Insidious Bias in Change and Decision-Making 🗓️ Tuesday, October 1, 2024 🕐 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm EDT 🎙️ Ed Cook, PhD Everything can be perfect in the analysis of a continuous improvement process. The data has been cleaned and prepped meticulously. The analytic tools are perfectly selected. The analysis itself is flawless. And then...the project dies in the conference room because of the executive decision-making process that flat out fails because too little attention is paid to practices that introduce bias into both the decision-making and change processes. Even if the project makes it out of the conference room, the change effort too can hold an insidious bias that can tank the effort. It can even diminish the culture as people feel marginalized because of a biased change management process. There’s a method for making the group decision and implementing a change that reduces the bias just as an analyst removes bias in the data. In this session, the group will learn this process so that they can execute it themselves and save a beautiful project from landing in the dustbin because the decision-making process would otherwise tank. Although the work is based on a couple of decades of practical application and academic research, the presentation format and style is based on teaching this method in the MBA program at the University of Richmond. It is interactive and engaging but laced with the underlying research that gives it substance. This session is driven by a case study of a company that needs to make a decision and then implement that change.

🚀 Elevate Your Decision-Making Skills with Our Comprehensive Course on Business Research and Analytics! 📊 In today's dynamic business landscape, effective decision-making is more crucial than ever. Join us for a transformative two-day course designed to equip you with the proficiency to navigate the complexities of management decision-making with confidence. 🔍 Key Learning Objectives: - Understanding the significance of analytics and business research techniques - Identifying and structuring problems to facilitate effective decision-making - Applying appropriate methods to collect and analyze information - Making pragmatic decisions that benefit stakeholders 💡 What You'll Gain: - Insight into different research designs and methodologies - Proficiency in qualitative and quantitative research methods - Mastery of scaling, sampling, and questionnaire design - Various analytical techniques for data interpretation 📝 Program Contents: 🔹 Module 1: Conceptualizing the research problem 🔹 Module 2: Designing research via qualitative and quantitative techniques 🔹 Module 3: Solving business problems using predictive analytics 🔹 Module 4: Communicating analytical output By mastering these essential concepts and techniques, you'll develop a robust foundation for solving complex business issues and leveraging data to drive strategic decision-making effectively and confidently. Don't miss this opportunity to propel your career forward! 🌟 #BusinessResearch #Analytics #DecisionMaking #ProfessionalDevelopment

Great insights from Mckinsey article related to problem solving! Check this short and comprehensive insights: 1. Be curious and ask why until you find the problem - Every solution is not available at large scale, so try to get solutions at low cost even when at short supply - Always think of probabilities and improve the odds in uncertainties 2. Think of multiple perspectives, Even not your domain - Use customer journey and design thinking to push the thought process - Make sure you have enough resources: people, time, and money 3. Frame the problem question towards solution oriented - Experiment creating new data if secondary data isn't sufficient, goal is to fail faster and gain the insights - Broader information = Creative solutions, at the same time be aware of hidden costs - Specify the risks involved of with & without considering the solution approach Comment down below what you think of problem solving from your perspective. #Problemsolving #Consulting #Business #Businesssolutions #Businessproblems #Creativity

🚀 Elevate Your Decision-Making Skills with Our Comprehensive Course! 📊 In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, effective decision-making is more crucial than ever. With technology advancing at breakneck speed and competition intensifying, executives and managers must stay ahead of the curve by understanding deep-rooted consumer insights and market trends. 💡 Our two-day intensive course is tailored to equip you with the proficiency to tackle complex management decisions head-on. Here's what you'll gain: 🔍 Key Learning Objectives: Identifying and structuring problems effectively Applying appropriate methods to collect and analyze information Making pragmatic decisions beneficial to stakeholders 💼 Program Highlights: 📌 Module 1: Conceptualizing the research problem: Delve into data inventory to uncover valuable insights. 📌 Module 2: Designing research via qualitative and quantitative techniques: Master the art of crafting effective research methodologies. 📌 Module 3: Solving business problems using predictive analytics: Harness the power of data-driven insights for strategic decision-making. 📌 Module 4: Communicating analytical output: Transform numbers into compelling narratives to drive action. By mastering various research designs, methodologies, and analytical techniques, you'll build a solid foundation for solving complex business issues and leveraging data to drive growth confidently. Don't miss out on this opportunity to sharpen your decision-making skills and propel your career forward! 💼 #DecisionMaking #BusinessAnalytics #ProfessionalDevelopment

Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) -Multi Criteria decision making method developed by Prof. Thomas L. Saaty -Provides a comprehensive and rational framework for structuring and analyzing complex decision problems -Most useful for complex problems, especially those with high stakes, involving human perceptions and judgments, whose decisions have long-term consequences -It decomposes a decision problem into a hierarchy of more easily comprehended sub-problems, which are analyzed independently -Capable of using ◦multiple, diverse criteria ◦qualitative as well as quantitative information -Best method when important elements of the decision are difficult to quantify or compare -Ability to assign numerical values for priorities

We do not typically understand the problem as much as we think we do! Recently, I read an interesting book “Design your thinking” by Pavan Soni, and this diagram from the book really summarized the paradigm of problem solving quite nicely! As data professionals, 📍Lean thinking is where almost all of us start our journey, and the focus is more on bringing efficiency to the existing system. Common pitfall - too much unidirectional thinking. Doing the same thing with different tools and techniques might show improvement, but does it really have a significant differential impact? 📍Critical thinking is the logical next step, as it gives us the opportunity to use our experience gained to solve the unknown problems. A common pitfall - is being ignorant of the process of problem discovery and getting tempted to force fit solutions. 📍Lateral thinking is where you get your research hat on powered by your curiosity in different subjects. Common pitfall - You are so into finding the stones that you sometime even ignore a diamond 💎 when you come across one. 📍Design thinking attempts to address all the above pitfalls, but is it absolutely full proof? What’s your opinion on it? What pitfalls have you come across in implanting design thinking in your organization? #theinsightedge #learnbeyondtools

The secret to navigating uncertainty in decision making is to: In every industry, decision making often feels like threading a needle through a maze. Balancing multiple objectives and uncertainties can be overwhelming. But what if there was a way to make this process more structured and insightful? Enter mathematical optimization. This powerful tool allows decision makers to frame complex problems by defining constraints and objectives, and then leveraging algorithms to find the best solutions. Amid competing interests and evolving scenarios, optimization could have provided a clearer path, evaluating all possibilities and their impacts. This approach isn't just for long-term infrastructure projects. In finance, for instance, optimization helps investors balance risk and return, continually adapting to market changes. Why does this matter? 1. Optimization algorithms adapt to changes, facilitating scenario analysis. 2. They ensure solutions meet all constraints, crucial in regulated industries. 3. They provide system-wide benefits while allowing for detailed insights. Remember, mathematical optimization won't make decisions for you, but it will illuminate the best paths forward, offering clarity amidst complexity. Ready to harness the power of optimization in your decision-making process? Let's dive deeper into this game-changing tool. What challenges do you face in your decision-making processes? Share your thoughts and let's discuss! 📊💡 #decisionmaking #Optimization #uncertainity #tool #CMACGM

#Monitoring #Evaluation #Learning "When it comes to M&E, I think at least four issues are worth noting: 🎯 Need to learn and adapt: Because we don’t know up front how to best help solve complex problems such as transitioning our economy to a circular model, we need to continuously learn and adapt what we do based on learning. 🎯 Adopt longer time-horizons: We need to better deal with the fact that it takes a long time for substantive change (higher-level results) to materialize, and that we do not necessarily know up-front what such change will look like. This makes it difficult to know if we are on track and whether we should do anything differently. 🎯 Capture impact in the aggregate: We cannot evaluate individual interventions in isolation because we usually tackle systems challenges through portfolios of interconnected interventions. 🎯 Focus on contribution over attribution: We should focus on capturing our contribution to bigger change processes rather than seek to directly attribute change to our own work. Coe and Schlangen explain this well: In reality, contribution is not singular and additive; instead multiple interacting causes make an effect more likely. Recognizing this, we should shift the lens from the “amount” of contribution a single actor makes to an understanding of the typologies of the different actors and how they combine to contribute to change." 📲 https://lnkd.in/eifXZKAf

🚀 Unlocking Insights Through a Structured Desk Review Process! 📊📚 A desk review is a critical first step in any research or project, providing the foundation for meaningful analysis and informed decision-making. Here is how we break down the process to extract valuable insights: 1️⃣ Document Collection: We begin by gathering all the relevant reports, studies, and data that provide a comprehensive overview of the subject. 2️⃣ Initial Review: A preliminary assessment helps us identify the most important documents, saving time for focused analysis. 3️⃣ Data Extraction: Here, we pinpoint the key data and insights, ensuring we capture only what's necessary for deeper analysis. 4️⃣ Analysis: Through a detailed review, we spot patterns, trends, and potential gaps that guide our understanding and next steps. 5️⃣ Synthesis: We combine all the insights into a cohesive narrative, ready to guide decisions. 6️⃣ Reporting: Finally, we draft a detailed report summarizing our findings, ensuring clear communication and actionable recommendations. 🔍 Whether for policy formulation, project evaluations, or strategic planning, a well-executed desk review lays the groundwork for impactful outcomes. #DeskReview #Research #DataAnalysis #Insights #PolicyDevelopment #StrategicPlanning #MonitoringAndEvaluation #ResearchMethodology #EvidenceBased #DataScience #Impact #Evaluation #ProjectManagement #DataDriven #Innovation #ResearchExcellence #Sustainability #Analytics #DevelopmentStudies #CommunityDevelopment #PolicyResearch #Leadership #BusinessIntelligence #DataCollection #ResearchDesign #Reporting #Growth #KnowledgeSharing

SAVE THE DATE! Attend our next #ACMPWebinar: https://bit.ly/3BornPy 💻 Reducing Insidious Bias in Change and Decision-Making 🗓️ Tuesday, October 1, 2024 🕐 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm EDT 🎙️ Ed Cook, PhD Everything can be perfect in the analysis of a continuous improvement process. The data has been cleaned and prepped meticulously. The analytic tools are perfectly selected. The analysis itself is flawless. And then...the project dies in the conference room because of the executive decision-making process that flat out fails because too little attention is paid to practices that introduce bias into both the decision-making and change processes. Even if the project makes it out of the conference room, the change effort too can hold an insidious bias that can tank the effort. It can even diminish the culture as people feel marginalized because of a biased change management process. There’s a method for making the group decision and implementing a change that reduces the bias just as an analyst removes bias in the data. In this session, the group will learn this process so that they can execute it themselves and save a beautiful project from landing in the dustbin because the decision-making process would otherwise tank. Although the work is based on a couple of decades of practical application and academic research, the presentation format and style is based on teaching this method in the MBA program at the University of Richmond. It is interactive and engaging but laced with the underlying research that gives it substance. This session is driven by a case study of a company that needs to make a decision and then implement that change.