Decisions among teams: two patterns for improving team processes

Abstract

We all make decisions all the time, sometimes instinctively, sometimes after rational deliberation. Some decisions aren't made by individuals, but by groups of people instead. This paper addresses two problems that are common when a team makes a decision: first, group-think can lead to important aspects being ignored, and second, reaching an agreement within a group can become a lengthy and tedious process. Both patterns can be applied in wide range of situations, but will be especially useful for IT projects.