Focused information supports sharp decision making

Good CEOs know that when it comes to the relationship between information and decision making, more is not better.

This is in contrast to the real politik reflected in the wry humour of "The Smokescreen" (in Yes Prime Minister, by Jonathan Lynn and Anthony  Jay, page 188). In the world of politics, perception is key. So decision making is dangerous - and to be avoided wherever possible. To this end, the passage from "The Smokescreen" notes:

"There are eleven stages in a decision making process -

1.  Informal discussions
2. Formal proposals
3. Preliminary study
4. Discussion document
5. In-depth study
6. Revised proposal
7. Policy
8. Strategy
9. Implementation plan circulated
10. Revised implementation plan
11. Cabinet authorisation"

The pasage goes on to note that any public servant should be able to ensure that if a policy is unwelcome, stage 11 will not be reached until the next election. Unfortunately this approach is seen too often - I guess that is why the television series was so popular with politicians.

In the real world, decisions have to be made - often quickly - and frequently under conditions of uncertainty.

It is under these circumstances that information which is focused on the decision makers' needs is critical. The decision maker may need to know all that is available to him or her. However it is more likely that they will appreciate a focused set of information tailored to their needs. At EPCB we address this requirement with a framework of information based on best practice business continuity standards, with which we then support clients to tailor to their context.

Excerpt from the Table used to Tailor Reports

The approach can be seen at "Tailored Reporting to meet your needs".