PROBLEM SOLVING

PURPOSE

Why are you giving the Decision Brief?

References

• What resources did you use to come up with your information?

Outline

• List the contents of your briefing

Objective

• Define the problem

Recommendation

• What is the best course of action?

• Example

Sebring is the best vehicle to purchase

Background

• Give general information/circumstances leading up to the decision being made.

Course of Actions

List possible

solutions to

your problems.

Give it a short title

then explain the

COA

Minivan : vehicle which has up to 6 Seats and four doors

Compact: A four door vehicle which holdsUp to four passengers

Motorcycle: Holds two passengers withno security

Facts

List all facts that relate to your problem and will help you in coming upwith a solution.

(funding, color, size, distance, availability, etc…

Assumptions

List all items that you are forced to make an educated guess in order tohelp you solve the problem. All assumptions must relate to your problemand should be backed up from a fact.

Facts AssumptionsExamples

• Don’t want to drive a foreign car• Have two kids• Would like ability to transport family

plus parents occasionally• Would like to use vehicle for ski

trips• Have a boat that weighs 4,500

pounds• Bank has ~$16k in the rainy-day

fund• Trade-in value of vehicle is roughly

$8k• Budget will allow $500/month for 36

months• Current interest rates are 8-10%

• Is only interested in US vehicles

• Must have four seats; would prefer six or more seats

• Look at truck or SUV

• Will have approximately $24k for down payment

• Total price should not exceed $40k

• Monetary information and rates will remain constant

Screening Criteria

• What will eliminate(screen) possible solutions (COAs)?• Supported by facts (and/or assumptions)• Screening criteria consist of . . .

– Short, descriptive title

– Definition, including “must” or “must not”– Example:

Four doors: The vehicle must have four doors

College loan: The solution must not consist of a college loan

Evaluation Criteria

Short Title: Cost

Definition: The total cost of the vehicle

Unit of Measure: Dollars

Benchmark: $35,700 (average)

Formula: < $35,700 is an advantage; > $35,700 is a disadvantage; less is better

Evaluation Criteria

Short Title: Color

Definition: The shade of the car

Unit of Measure: Dark to Light on a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 being the darkest shade

Benchmark: 3

Formula: < 3 is an advantage; > 3 is a disadvantage; less is better

Evaluation Criteria

Short Title: Housing

Definition: Ability for freshman to live off campus

Unit of Measure: Yes or No

Benchmark: Yes

Formula: < Yes is an disadvantage; > Yes is a advantage; more is better

Raw Data

Vehicle Origin Cost WarranyFuel

EconyTowing

Cap SeatsTahoe US 36 3/36 17 6600 6Expedition US 41 3/36 16 6800 7Explorer US 35 3/36 20 4860 4Suburban US 41 3/36 17 7500 9Cadillac US 52 4/50 15 8200 8Land CruiserForeign 52 3/36 16 6500 8Durango US 36 3/36 17 4500 5Outback Foreign 32 3/36 27 2000 5Hummer US 104 3/36 15 5000 4

Vehicle Origin Cost WarranyFuel

EconyTowing

Cap SeatsTahoe US 36 3/36 17 6600 6Expedition US 41 3/36 16 6800 7Explorer US 35 3/36 20 4860 4Suburban US 41 3/36 17 7500 9Cadillac US 52 4/50 15 8200 8Land CruiserForeign 52 3/36 16 6500 8Durango US 36 3/36 17 4500 5Outback Foreign 32 3/36 27 2000 5Hummer US 104 3/36 15 5000 4

Raw Data

COST: Must not exceed $40K

ORIGIN: Must be made in the US

Analysis of Tahoe(COA)

• Advantages– Towing -- 6,600 lbs (> 5,300 lbs)

– Seating -- 6 (> 6 seats)

(Evaluation Criteria) (Bench Mark)

• Disadvantages– Cost -- $36k (< $35.7k)

– Fuel Eff. -- 17 (> 18 MPG)

(Evaluation Criteria) (Bench Mark)

Note: Will use DECMAT to determine

Select the Best Solution - Comparison of COAs

> means better than

Evaluation Criteria(Adv. Formula)

Cost (evaluation criteria)

(<$35.7k) (benchmark)

Fuel Economy(>18 MPG)

Towing Capacity(>5,300 lbs)

Explorer (COA)

($35k) (Raw Data)

Explorer(20 MPG)

Tahoe(17 MPG)

Tahoe($36k)

Explorer(4,860 lbs)

Tahoe(6,600 lbs)

Durango($36k)

Durango(17 MPG)

Durango(4,400 lbs)

> =

> =

>

>

Seats(>6 seats)

Explorer(4 seats)

Tahoe(6 seats)

Durango(5 seats) >

>

Courses of Action(Raw Data)

NOTE: HIGHLIGHT YOUR RECOMMENDATIONThis way your boss doesn’t have to search forThe answer.

Conclusion

• Restate comparison chart in word form.

• Example:In the area of cost the Explore was the lowest with a cost of

35K which was better that the Tahoe. The Durango was equal to the coast of the Tahoe which was 36K.

Recommendation

• Restate your recommendation. Same as the initial recommendation slide.

Sebring is the best vehicle to purchase

DECMAT CHART

More is better

Evaluation Criteria

Cost Mileage Doors Warranty Total

Tahoe 2 1 4 3 10

Murano 3 2 2 2 9

Sebring 1 3 3 4 11

300 4 4 1 1 10