Decision making in times of crisis ...

Decision making in times of crisis ... When “Multi–Stakeholder Decision Making for Complex Problems” was published about 3 years ago, I could not have imagined a more relevant time for its messages than now. During emergencies, decision making tends to be hurried, with a focus on the immediate. This is apt – as one must put out the fire first before thinking about its consequences, and how to prevent the next fire. But what if the crisis affects multitudes and critical decisions must be made by many. Do the decision makers understand the big picture - grasp the full range of the variables at play and their complex, non-linear interactions? What if decisions made during crises – as they often do – produce long–term unintended consequences – some of which counterproductive? What about the timing of decisions – do information delays and decision lags matter?
The current corona pandemic is the perfect storm for these scenarios. Critical decisions are made by leaders disjointedly and in isolation; full and accurate information sharing on the extent of the pandemic is doubtful; and, critically, much valuable time has been squandered in early dealing with the crisis.

The lessons captured in the book show how a crisis like corona could have been prevented.