According to Gregory [4], decision is "the selection process leading to a particular action being taken". He distinguishes the following components of decision making: - listing alternative actions to be considered; - listing possible outcomes which can result from actions; - finding data on the consequences of all feasible combinations of actions and outcomes; - making assessments of the likelihoods of the various outcome possibilities; - defining a decision criterion - some method for evaluating the alternatives.
Decision analysis is an approach which proposes a mathematical model of a decision problem from which, by means of statistical analysis, a course of action is proposed. Decision analysis is not a means whereby the decision maker is replaced by an automatic procedure. Montgomery wrote that the decision making is "a search for good arguments" which emphasises the process of decision making and its value for learning. Making Choices probably 'decides' rather badly, but it certainly promotes argument!