PMO | Questions to Ask When Making Decisions

It is crucial to evaluate all aspects thoroughly when making decisions. The goal is to best handle situations that are full of uncertainty and unknowns. We can group these strategic questions into five categories: investigation, speculation, productivity, interpretation, and subjective.
(Investigation) 

• What happened? 
• Do we have the problem defined correctly? 
• Are all the data and information correct and accurate? Who should I consult for more information and advice? 
• Why do we have to look into this? (Ask five times) 
• What does it matter? 
  

(Speculation) 

• What are the choices? Is this all the choices we have? What if… or How might we... 
• Do we need to make a choice now? 
• What are the pros and cons of each option?
• What are the potential short- and long-term ramifications of the options?
• Is the decision in line with the organization's vision and strategy?
• What do I lose if I do not make the choice? ​​
  

(Productivity) 

• How can we get it done?
• How will we measure progress and results? 
  

(Interpretation) 

• Does the problem still exist？ Are we on track to solve the problem？ 
• What new opportunities does this open up? 
  

(Subjective - emotions) 

• How do you feel about this decision? 
• What aspect of it most concerns you? 
• Are all the stakeholders genuinely aligned? ​

Resources

• Arnaud Chevallier etc, The Art of Asking Smarter Questions, HBR May-June 2024