Models of Human Decision Making

Every human has a lifetime of experience in decision making. However, it is helpful to be reflective on how we make decisions, especially as it related to developing products.

All decision making is the process of choosing among different options or courses of action. There are different general models of decision making that can help individuals or organizations to make better decisions, especially with respect to product design decisions making.

Rational model

This model follows a sequence of logical steps to analyze the problem, gather relevant information, generate possible solutions, evaluate the pros and cons of each option, and select the best one based on objective criteria. The rational model relies on data, logic, and analysis to make decisions. For example, a company might use this model to decide which new product to launch based on market research and cost-benefit analysis.

Intuitive model

This model relies on gut feelings, instincts, or hunches to make decisions. The intuitive model does not require much information or analysis, but rather trusts the decision maker’s experience and intuition. For example, a manager might use this model to hire a new employee based on their impression during the interview.

Vroom-Yetton model

This model considers the level of participation and involvement of others in the decision making process. The Vroom-Yetton model suggests that different situations require different degrees of autocratic, consultative, or democratic decision-making styles. For example, a leader might use this model to decide how much to involve their team members in a strategic decision based on factors such as time pressure, quality requirements, and acceptance needs.

Recognition-primed model

This model describes how experts make decisions in complex and uncertain situations. The recognition-primed model assumes that experts can quickly recognize patterns and cues from their previous experience and use them to generate and evaluate a single option that works. For example, a firefighter might use this model to decide how to respond to an emergency based on their knowledge and skills.

Bounded rationality model

This model acknowledges the limitations and constraints that affect human decision making. The bounded rationality model suggests that people cannot process all the information available or consider all the alternatives possible, so they use heuristics or rules of thumb to simplify the decision-making process and choose a satisfactory option rather than an optimal one. For example, a consumer might use this model to decide which brand of cereal to buy based on availability, price, or familiarity.

Creative model

This model emphasizes the generation of novel and original solutions to problems. The creative model involves divergent thinking, brainstorming, experimentation, and feedback to produce innovative and unique outcomes. For example, a designer might use this model to create a new logo for a company based on inspiration, imagination, and iteration.

Designers make decisions that could be accurately described by many of these models depending on the context. The most important part is that designers are reflective of their own thinking and the potential limitations that may impact those decisions. For example, rational and bounded rationality methods can be overly reliant and overly confident on limited information. Intuitive methods are subject to a host of natural human biases in thinking.