Training Module
Decision Analysis
Structure complex decisions, clarify objectives, evaluate trade-offs, and make defensible choices under uncertainty
Overview
Organizations regularly face decisions that shape outcomes and priorities: which risks to address, which initiatives to pursue, how to allocate resources, or which options offer the best balance of benefits and costs. In practice, these decisions are often made informally, without a clear structure for comparing alternatives or reasoning about trade-offs.
This module introduces practical decision analysis methods that help structure complex decisions. Participants learn how to clarify objectives, develop and compare alternatives, and reason about uncertainty and trade-offs using simple, repeatable approaches that make decision logic transparent and defensible.
Applicable environments
This module is applicable across a wide range of management systems and organisational contexts. The concepts are not tied to a specific management domain or ISO standard and are used wherever organisations need best practice approaches to implement, manage, extend or improve management systems.
This module is applicable across a wide range of management systems and organisational contexts. The concepts are not tied to a specific management domain or ISO standard and are used wherever organisations need best practice approaches to implement, steer, or improve management systems.
Target audience
Management system implementers and coordinators
Those responsible for processes, policies, assets, risks, and controls related to a management system
Management consultants working with management system design, governance, or improvement
Top management according to ISO management system standards
CEOs, COOs, CFOs, and board members
Division heads and functional leaders
Executives preparing for ISO certification or system redesign
Senior managers overseeing a management system domain
Decision support
Is this module for you?
It is a good fit if you…
want to structure complex decisions instead of relying only on intuition or informal discussion.
need to clarify objectives and trade-offs when evaluating alternative actions.
want decisions and their rationale to be transparent and defensible.
face situations where uncertainty and competing priorities make decisions difficult.
If most of the points above apply, this module is likely a good fit.
It may not be the best fit if you…
already apply structured decision analysis methods consistently in your work.
are primarily looking for detailed quantitative modelling or specialised decision software.
expect prescriptive answers rather than structured ways to reason about decisions.
have no role in shaping or advising on organisational decisions.
Agenda
What structured decision analysis means in practice
Clarifying the decision and its boundaries
Objectives and value hierarchies
Generating and structuring alternatives
Trade-offs and multi-criteria comparison
Reasoning about uncertainty
Documenting decision logic and rationale
Case-based workshop
Show detailed agenda...
Learning outcomes
Key outcomes
Structure complex decisions by clearly defining the decision, objectives, and alternatives
Compare alternatives across multiple objectives using transparent and defensible reasoning
Apply simple approaches to analyse trade-offs and uncertainty in order to support sound decisions
Additional capabilities
Distinguish between decision framing, analysis, and implementation responsibilities
Identify common decision failure modes such as hidden assumptions, premature narrowing of alternatives, and unstructured trade-offs
Document decision logic, assumptions, and rationale so outcomes remain transparent and reviewable
Apply structured decision thinking to typical situations such as prioritisation, investment choices, and improvement planning
Additional benefits
Learning materials
Slide deck
Participant workbook
Templates & tools
Practical, reusable artefacts to apply the module directly to your organisation.
Decision framing canvas
Objectives & value hierarchy template
Alternatives development checklist
Multi-Criteria decision matrix
Uncertainty & sensitivity worksheet
Decision rationale record
Confirmation
Certificate of completion
Module ID
HAM-AG-MC-01
Discipline
Domains
Audience
Manager
Executive
Languages
English
German (on request)
Delivery
Live virtual
Duration
7 h
List price
CHF 550
Excl. VAT. VAT may apply depending on customer location and status.
Delivery & learning format
Virtual live teaching
This module is delivered live, with a strong focus on discussion, practical application, and direct interaction with the instructor.
Sessions work through realistic examples, clarify concepts in context, and apply methods directly to participants’ organisational realities.
Custom delivery options
For organisations with specific constraints or learning objectives, the module can be adapted in format or scope, including in-house delivery and contextualised case material.
For an optimal learning experience
Preparation guidance
This module is designed as part of a modular training approach. Topics are deliberately distributed across modules and are not repeated in full, in order to avoid unnecessary redundancy. Each module is self-contained and can be taken on its own. Where prior knowledge or experience is helpful, this is indicated below so you can decide whether any preparation is useful for you.
Assumed background
No formal prerequisites. This module assumes general familiarity with organisational decision-making and management practices.
Helpful background includes:
Experience participating in decisions involving trade-offs, priorities, or resource allocation
Familiarity with organisational roles, responsibilities, and decision processes
Comfort with structured reasoning and comparing alternatives (the module focuses on practical decision structuring rather than quantitative modelling)
