Chapter+7+Notes

Chapter 7: Inspired Decisions - Notes
Back to Ambient Findability
 * What is a decision tree?
 * Tree that shows possible options and likelihood of taking each
 * Why are decision trees useful?
 * Map out how to make decisions
 * Make the alternatives visible
 * Useful in programming things like games
 * What are the common decision-making traps that humans fall into?
 * Anchoring: When making a decision, the data that we first encountered holds the most sway
 * Confirmation: We subconsciously seek data that supports our existing point of view and avoid contradictory evidence
 * Memorability: We are overly influenced by recent or dramatic events.\
 * Status quo: Decision makers exhibit a strong bias toward conservatism, inertia and alternatives that perpetuate the status quo - We look for reasons to do nothing
 * Sunk cost: We are unwilling to admit past mistakes and make decisions in a way that justifies past choices.
 * What is the single most important variable governing the use of information?
 * Accessibility
 * We can only use what we have access to
 * We absorb information passively and rely on who we know for much of what we know
 * The internet allows us easy access
 * We can easily step outside of the circle of family, friends and co-workers in search of independent wisdom and collective intelligence
 * Note that internet is not infallible nor without bias
 * How does having too much information affect us?
 * Up to a point, more information is better – we make better decisions
 * Then at some point we reach information overload and the quality of decisions declines
 * What role does findability play in decision making?
 * Good findability allows us to easily access information we need to make a decision
 * With ideal findability we will locate the best information first and in a timely fashion