Skip to main content

Decision Avoidance

Definition​

Decision Avoidance refers to dynamics in which, when responsibility and the impact accompanying decisions are not made visible, choosing not to decide is repeatedly observed as the safest and most rational behavior.

Dynamics​

  • Situations are observed where decisions are sought while the risks and scope of impact remain unclear
  • States continue where outcomes of decisions are not measured and validity is not verified
  • With passage of time, decisions are dispersed or delayed and treated as a form of consensus

Observable Signals​

  • Decisions are not made explicit, and expressions such as "depending on situation" and "wait and see" are increasing
  • Decided matters are fixed while treated as tentative
  • Situations are observed where the same issues are repeatedly discussed but conclusions are not updated

Amplifying Conditions​

This dynamic tends to strengthen when the following conditions overlap.

  • Uncertainty is high and future impact cannot be foreseen
  • Evaluation and measurement of decision outcomes is not performed
  • The subject or responsibility for making decisions is not defined as structure

What This Is Not​

  • This does not question the decision-making ability of specific roles or positions
  • This does not take a stance that always regards rapid decision-making as correct
  • This does not present strong leadership as a solution

Consequences​

  • States continue where the location of responsibility is unclear and reasons for decisions cannot be tracked
  • Decisions become hard to accumulate, and Requirement Analysis stagnates
  • Support tools, including AI, become excluded from domains where they cannot substitute for decisions

Connections​

Last updated on by Hiroshi Kurabayashi