MAJOR PRESENTATION #2-ver. 2.1   

 [Decision Making Analysis]

  {subtitle: "Did they make the 'right' choice???"}

Be sure to read this assignment carefully & thoroughly-- especially the "tips" at the end.  It serves as a "How To" manual-- not simply as an assignment sheet. It contains all the details you need to know in order to complete this presentation successfully. If you have any additional questions, be sure to email your Professor.

RATIONALE

PREPARATION PROCEDURES

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS    (including advice on Leadership Functions)

TIPS FOR PARTICIPATING IN A PANEL DISCUSSION

SUMMARY/ REMINDER SLIDES

 some sample topics ( i.e. an already completed  DECISION to "second guess" ) : Connecticut Chemotherapy / Closing the IZOD center  / Nationwide Insurance's sad Super Bowl commercial / 84 Lumber 2017 Superbowl commercial /  more topics  listed below

 RATIONALE:

By means of  your readings (W.I.G.: Chapter 9 {7th/6th ed}  / Ch10-5th ed) as well as the recent in-class activities, you  have encountered the details of committee deliberation  & closed-system decision-making (i.e. a private group DM/ no audience"). Former football linebacker, Chris Borlund  eloquently expressed the essence of the decision-making mindset: "I did a lot of research , and for me, (this decision) made sense, and (I) came to the conclusion it was the best decision for me," Face The Nation  on 3/22/15.

For this next presentation, you will be applying this knowledge through a panel discussion format. Your group will  deliberate  & evaluate the quality of a real-life contemporary decision while the class/audience observes.

The real-life decision that your group selects to evaluate should be somewhat within the group's "area of freedom" [i.e. realm of  influence]  & one that the group members actually care about. The goal is for the discussion/presentation  to involve actual positions-- rather than simply pretending or arguing as a "Devil's Advocate".

At the end of your deliberation, your group come to a decision about whether or not the parties in the contemporary situation made the "best" decision. You can arrive at this decision via consensus or majority  / avoid expert-leader methods.  

Decision Making discussions generally use a topic focus that is based in either FACT [F]  or  VALUE [V]  or  POLICY [P] on the topic. Be sure to review these three(3) concepts in your textbook & your notes ( including the Decision Making slide shows).  This will help your group get onto the correct "road" &  stay in the proper "lane".

PREPARATION PROCEDURE:

<1> Once again each group member will bring in a news clipping to be "pitched" to the rest of the group.  The whole project will go more smoothly if the original news article clearly indicates which  "road" the parties chose to go down in order to make their decision,  i.e.        

       * did they decide on something's worth  [= question ofValue]     

        * did they decide on a desired course of action [= question of Policy]  

            * did they decide on the truth/falsity of statement [=question of Fact];

<2>  This time each group will use a similar phrasing for the Discussion Question.  Here is your template:   { "Considering the various factors  & criteria in this situation ( _insert  key words for your group's topic__) , did the parties make the "best" decision?"  }

 SOME ADDITIONAL sample news clippings of questionable decisions that bear revisiting: The end of tele-commuting at Yahoo & at Best Buy / the banning of foam/styrofoam food containers in NYC

<3> As always, the group will complete & submit the appropriate  Preliminary Agenda/Outline-DMversion.click  Completing that task also will help the group determine its goals, presentation content, research needs, and individuals' task assignments.  THIS SEMESTER, THE COMPLETED Preliminary "DM" Agenda/Outline  IS DUE BY EMAIL NO LATER THAN 5:00pm Fri 3/3/17--preferably earlier. Note. These presentations occur right after Spring Break.

<4> The end result = A PANEL Presentation --This format differs from the Symposium that you did for the 1st presentation.  This time, the class listens in as a silent audience, while the group members  EXTEMPORANEOUSLY discuss, explore &"second guess" the choices that were made in their selected real life situation. In advance, group members will be assigned specific areas of "expertise" involving the situation under discussion. There will be minimal need for group GMAP sessions.  During this presentation,  group members are expected to cite explicitly from their own research & use their researched data to support their arguments .  This means that the group participants will interact SPONTANEOUSLY and the decision which is reached at the end of the presentation will be based on grounded "argumentation" of the facts. [i.e. discussants will be graded on how well they support their points.]  Ultimately, as a whole, the presentation will come to a determination about whether or not the actual,  real-life decision was the "best" one.   See below for some Panel discussion format "tips".

<5> Possible Procedural Variations:  As we get closer to the presentation date, some additional specifications may be added. These will be verified during in-class GMAPs but if in doubt, be sure to ask.

VARIATION #1: applicable in some semesters &  to be used again  for this semester. Confirm speakers with professor.

Overall, your symposium skills could use a little bit more practice.  Therefore, -- All groups must begin their decision making analysis presentations with a 3-4 minute SYMPOSIUM segment to occur prior to the actual panel discussion. Be sure to refer to Presentation guidelines discussed in the Chapter 12 ( 7th ed) [6th ed = Appendix] /-especially the section on "Team Presentations".  The total presentation time remains the same as specified below-- so it may not be possible
9 or even necessary) for EVERYONE to speak in the symposium segment. It's recommended that priority be given to those individuals whose segments did not proceed smoothly in Presentation #1.    For this mini-symposium segment of the presentation, the L/M's primary role will be to introduce, keep things moving & ensure that this segment gets done in 3-4 minutes MAX.

VARIATION #2: applicable in some semesters but N.A. for this  semester.  Confirm with professor.    Before the formal start of the presentation (i.e. before timing begins) certain  groups will need to give a 30 sec. - 1 minute  Show & Tell explanation of the group's choice for name &/or  final  logo.

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS:

►Review the reminders at the bottom of the Info-Sharing presentation's assignment sheet, as well as the  following notes...

► Overall Presentation time is 20-25 15-20 minutes.

►Videorecording is planned. The expectation is to videorecord these panel discussions using  TBD. You do not have to bring anything. See additional info. below.

• ►Introduction/Transitions/Conclusion - These presentation components are part of a panel presentation as a whole and often they are delivered by the designated Leader/Moderator.  These 3 items should be done via extemporaneous and/or impromptu delivery style. They are said for the benefit of your  audience that is listening in. 
•  Since this is primarily a PANEL  presentation, rather than a symposium, each participant is expected to contribute THROUGHOUT the presentation; therefore transitions should be used between agenda items rather than between speakers.  
• The conclusion should consist of a review of 3-4 key points + a closing statement. It should be impromptu in nature -- since it needs to reflect the actual discussion that has just taken place.  In other words, your conclusions should not be totally "prefabricated" but should represent an ability to think-on-your-feet.

• ►Leadership Functions -  A different person takes over this role for this presentation. As always, during the group's preparation phases, the Leader/Moderator will perform general management & organizational duties. For the presentation itself, he/she will ensure the group has met all of the submission details & will manage the smooth "steering" of the discussion so that the group effectively proceeds through the 5 steps of the simplified decision making process-- which was demonstrated via the various in-class activities.

•  

•  During the actual Panel discussion segment, the L/M will need to listen comprehensively  & analytically . He/She also will fulfill many of the task/maintenance roles listed in your textbook:  p. 53-56[6ed] / p.60-1[5ed] .

•  

• MODERATING A PANEL = This particular presentation requires a Leader/Moderator with strong listening and impromptu speaking skills. He/She needs flexibility, adaptability, and consensus-building skills.

  -The ideal communication flow for a panel discussion is "all-channel" which means that anyone can speak up at any time. It's up to the L/M to try to keep the participants from getting off-topic or engaging in personal attacks, while still encouraging spontaneous energy and participation.  Also, the  L/M should be democratic enough to solicit input from the group members but at the same time needs to be assertive enough to jump in to ask clarifying questions, utilize paraphrases, & keep the discussion progressing explicitly through the 5 - 7 DecMkg steps. Nevertheless, it's important for all members to listen to each other & for all members to use critical thinking skills.

  - If you don't get to be leader/moderator this time, don't worry. Over the course the semester, each person will get to lead/moderate at least once.

• ►Decision Making Procedure - Although you are aiming for spontaneous, "all-channel" participation, during your planning --prior to the actual presentation-- the group members should all agree upon some norms of behavior for turntaking.  

• ►Physical Set-up - To be determined by each the group. Review suggestions in text. Use whatever is most conducive to the PANEL format : (all group members need to see & hear each other, but the audience must also see the group clearly). If using a debate format, you may want to arrange yourselves for a "face-off".  If the plans to videotape are successful, the set-up may need to be adjusted to achieve camera coverage.  No hats, of course.

• ►Presentation Aids - You are strongly encouraged to consider using visual/presentation aids. Demonstrations , Slides/Overheads , Video clips , Charts , etc can be very effective for clarifying and/or reinforcing points more succinctly and more memorably than words alone.

• ►Video/audio recording -  As you know, all group presentations in this class are recorded on some way. The plan for this presentation is to be videorecorded: using the classroom's digital format.  Nevertheless, you may want to bring along a spare video/audio recording device just in case our digital system is not working. Check your course calendar for any last-minute additions to these presentation specifications.

• ►Final Agenda Outline - The specifications for this submission remain the same. However, be sure the agenda portion is structured using either the simplified Decision Making Agenda from your class notes or the   "Standard Agenda Format" >>>see text ( p. 202+[6ed]) /  (p. 243+ [5ed]) or some other appropriate DECISION MAKING agenda format.  

  As always, the Final Agenda outline MUST be submitted to the instructor (in hard copy format) BEFORE group gives its presentation.

•  ►Follow-up Group Assignment = Grading-Our-Presentation [ via "Performance Assessment"]  click link for the details of the assignment.   This presentation generally utilizes a special application of the COMPLIANCE FACTOR   See your online course calendar  to verify  whether or not this is one of those semesters. If so, the due date for this additional, group project & submission will be listed. If so, any group that misses the submission deadline will default to the Professor's grade.

 

 

created - 2/2012/  last updated 3/10/17

 

       

Reminder slides from in class slide show lecture (generic version):

 

 

S'17 VARIATION: It's not necessary for each person to participate in the opening Symposium segment. However, full, balanced oral participation is expected during the panel discussion.  TOTAL presentation time = 15-20 minutes.

 

 

S'17 VARIATION: It is voluntary to complete the "Grading Our Group's  Presentation". It requires completion of additional group deliberation and submission of an multipart document. [click for the Performance Assessment directions page]  If your group opts not to complete the "Grading-Your-Own...", the Professor will do the grading, according to the usual criteria for this course.