Identifies options available and key choices.
Analysis of complex decisions with significant uncertainty can be confusing because:
- the consequence that will result from selecting any specified decision alternative cannot be predicted with certainty.
- there are often large number of different factors that must be taken into account
- may be useful to consider possibility of reducing uncertainty in the decision by gathering additional information
- decision makers attitude toward risk taking can impact relative desirability of alternatives
Provide effective structure – lay out options and investigate possible outcomes of choosing those options.
Help form balanced picture of risks and rewards associated with each possible course of action.