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Matrix Decision Making
I had the pleasure of working with the authors of this book for over a year as a research assistant. Over that time I came to deeply associate with the 2x2 Matrix approach to problem-solving, and believe it is one of the most novel, fun, and effective ways of understanding business and personal dilemmas.
The idea behind 2x2 Matrix problem solving is to simplify any dilemma you're experiencing to its two core, often competing, facets. For example, The Gartner Magic Quadrant evaluates a company's technology solution based on Completeness of Vision and Ability to Execute. These two aspects are then placed on opposing axis of a grid and given hi/low extremes. This instantly generates four quadrants of distinctly different possible scenarios. In this case:
- Niche Players - Low completeness of vision, low ability to execute
- Visionaries - High completeness of vision, low ability to execute
- Challengers - Low completeness of vision, high ability to execute
- Leaders - High completeness of vision, high ability to execute
The authors, Alex Lowy and Phil Hood, have gone to great lengths to examine outstanding problem solving practices offering both an academic explanation of the theory behind 2x2 modeling, and a profile of 55 of the best decision models out there.
These 55 decision models, presented in short, clear summaries with illustrations and often technology-based case examples (drawn from IBM, Apple, HP, Borland, and the open source world) are the real gold in the book. The models range from highly business-oriented strategy, marketing, and employee-motivation frameworks, to personally oriented frameworks that help structure time, understand personality conflicts, improve leadership skills, and evaluate career transition opportunities.
Chapter 3 is devoted to what the authors call Archetypal Business Dilemmas. The dilemmas presented here speak vividly to the challenges being experienced right now by the open source community:
- Head vs. Heart The toughest choices are between doing what makes sense, and what feels right.
- Content vs. Process Content is the what, Process is the how. Success in most things requires mastery of both qualities.
Also, there are a host of technology gurus who have been interviewed and have matrices presented from their work: Charles Fine, author of Clockspeed; Watts Wacker, author of The Deviant's Advantage ; Hal Varian and Carl Shapiro, authors of Information Rules ; Paul Weifels and Geoffrey Moore, authors of Crossing the Chasm; and Joseph Pine and James Gilmore, authors of The Experience Economy.
It is almost impossible to read this book and not compulsively apply these exceptional models to personal life. At the moment I've been working with Stephen Covey's Urgency and Importance matrix.
For many of us, life is filled with tasks that are Urgent, leaving little time for more fundamental and long-term activities necessary for personal and professional development.The Time Management matrix explores two key dimensions, Importance and Urgency:
Importance. Things that are important are reflective of one's values and contribute to achieving higher-priority goals and personal mission. Importance is about results that matter.
Urgency. Urgent things require immediate attention. They tend to be visible, popular with others, and to act on us.
My cell-phone and inbox both feel highly Urgent, and I often answer my messages immediately, despite the fact that in most situations their Importance is questionable. I'm working at shifting away from a crisis-oriented instant response, which is in turn generating more free time to work on the things that are really important to me but don't necessarily jump in front of my face.
Without actually sitting down and plotting how I used my time during a week on the matrix, I would never have had to directly face the multitude of things I was sacrificing just to keep up with my trivial emails. It's the simplicity and clarity of 2x2 modeling that makes it a great tool for wrestling with dilemmas, and generating deep insights.
Most will find the book an easy and engaging read, especially the framework sections. The downside, if there is one, is the sheer volume of great frameworks. One can only absorb a few at a time and for this reason I'd recommend reading slowly, jumping from the table of contents right to parts that sound the most interesting.
You can purchase The Power of the 2x2 Matrix from bn.com; a sample chapter is available here. Slashdot welcomes readers' book reviews. To see your own review here, carefully read the book review guidelines, then visit the submission page.
You can download some more chapters than just the first one at http://www.2x2matrix.com/downloads/.
http://www.2x2matrix.com/downloads/chapter1.pdf
The Blaster Master Fighting for Truth, Justice, and Evil Pie since 1979
Actual link to the sample chapter so you don't have to give your email to them.
The N-person envy-free fair division problem is interesting, but isn't usually tackled using traditional game theory payoff matrices. An article; Google will gets you lots more.
If you are looking for ways out, yes. That is something brainstorming techniques can help you with.
If you have a problem choosing between available options, you are past the brain-storming stage. If the authors of this book advocate doing a form of triage on your options, I am all for it. All to many people in leading positions don't want to make decisions when they are small and manageable - meetings and other forms of "feeling good about your job" seem to be much more important. I do this myself - I think it is a basic human characteristic to be wary of change.
They tend to sit and wait until the choice among the few remaining options are blindingly obvious. This is where people get fired and companies start the process of going out of business. At that time, a number of better options have become unavailable because some resource is no longer available - money, time or manpower. Or the market itself, for that matter.
Engineer-type managers live and breathe this stuff, and may need to widen their view of available options, as you say. Luckily, not all managers have engineering backgrounds.
I think managers with backgrounds from other disciplines may need to learn how to do this stuff. Engineering-type disciplines are, as far as I know, the only disciplines which promote this kind of mindset.
Because you don't want to optimize the number of logic gates in a digital circuit scheme.
This has nothing to do with that.