[2022-11-06] Offer choices for better decision-making
Early in my career, I was involved in the production of various publications, many of which were designed by professional graphic artists. I was struck by the fact that the professionals always brought three designs. I loved reviewing the designs and sharing my opinion on which ones I liked best. More often than not, my colleagues and I chose elements of all three designs rather than one clear winner. We'd like the colour scheme of one but the typeface of another and the photo of the third. While that meant more work for the designer—creating a hybrid of the three options—it was better than coming in with only one choice and being sent back to the drawing board to start over.
I've seen the benefits of offering choices to others, both personally and professionally. For example, when I had children, I came across a parenting tip that if you want little Johnny to put a shirt on, you'll be more successful if you offer him a choice: "Would you like to wear the red shirt or the blue shirt?" You probably care less about the colour of little Johnny's shirt and more about his simply getting dressed.
Similarly, a few years ago, I led three focus groups to test a vision for a new initiative. The first two focus groups were held on the same day. Some participants liked the single option we presented and offered suggestions for improvement; others disliked it altogether. Based on this feedback, we produced an alternate version for the third focus group, which was scheduled to take place two days later, offering that group two choices. The tone of the third focus group was significantly different from that of the first two groups. It was more positive and constructive, largely—I believe—because the participants had a point of comparison. Rather than say, "I don't like the vision," they could say, "I prefer this vision over that one."
Give them choices
My impression of the value of choices is supported by experts. Writing in the Harvard Business Review, author Steve Martin suggests that To Persuade Others, Give Them Options. He says that we want to make decisions as effectively and efficiently as possible, and that we use mental shortcuts to speed up the decision-making process. He writes: "One of these mental shortcuts is to use comparisons to evaluate a choice, rather than judging one option in isolation." This is at the heart of comparison shopping—doing our homework to satisfy ourselves that we're getting the best quality for the price.
But we needn't apply the concept of choice just to purchases. As with my focus groups, providing options can make it easier for people to offer an opinion or to settle on a choice. Martin offers another way to help people make choices: "For example, if you are presenting a business plan for a new product to your board, first review the products you’ve decided not to pursue. This isn’t to mean that you should invent lousy alternatives to your great idea so that your idea appears more impressive, but rather is meant to give your audience the benefit of the same legitimate comparisons that you’ve been able to consider." This is something I don't do often enough: provide an explanation of the options I've considered if presenting just one choice. Doing so would no doubt help my audience to see the merits of my recommendation.
Get better feedback
Providing multiple choices doesn't always lead to an immediate decision, but it almost always contributes to a productive discussion. A few years ago, I was working with colleagues to come up with a certificate for recipients of an award. We produced four very different designs and then gathered a group of people to choose their favourite. When the first four people each chose a different design, I thought we were no further ahead. But the discussion proved extremely helpful. We got excellent feedback from our colleagues on what they liked and disliked about the designs—a conversation that was facilitated by having contrasting options. We decided that none of the designs was just right, but as we headed back to the drawing board, we did so with helpful advice on what to include or not include in the next options.
Within a few days, we were back with four new options. When we presented them to the same group, we got unanimous support for one choice. And it took only one minute to find the clear winner.
Speed up the decision-making
When I prepare the visual for my daily Jenesis post, I usually create three options. Melanie is my focus group of one. She can look at the three designs and almost immediately choose one. Sometimes, she'll suggest tweaks to the best design, such as a different font or less text in the visual.
As reflected in the Harvard Business Review article, when we give others choices, they can make faster decisions and give better feedback, which is ultimately helpful to us.
