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1.0 Why

2.0 What

Language

Four Principles

3.0 How Preparation

Elements

Tips

References/ SourcesThe Choosing by Advantages Decisionmaking System, Jim Suhr

OnecanbecomeaCertifiedMastersofCBAthroughJimSuhr’strainingpro-gramofferedperiodically.

Choosing by Advantages

“WEBELIEVETHATSOUND-

DECISIONMAKINGSKILLS

AREIMPORTANTFOR

EVERYONE;AND,THATSOUND-

DECISIONMAKINGSKILLS

AREESPECIALLYIMPORTANT

FORPEOPLEWHOMAKE

DECISIONSTHATAFFECT

OTHERPEOPLE.”| Jim Suhr |

A collaborative presentation from over a dozen experienced Lean IPD practitioners.

© 2015 Lean Construction Institute

CHOOSINGBYADVANTAGES | 2

1.0 Why

Whenapplied appropriately, Choosing byAdvantages (CBA)allows for visual and transparent decision making. It alsoalignswith the desired values and culture of Lean/IPD andallowsteamstoemphasizeaproject’svaluetoitsstakehold-ers (customers and clients).With CBA, decisionmakers canreach consensus, focusonoutcomes, andunderstandall ofthefactorsconsideredduringthedecision-makingprocess.

Many decision-making methods or systems are flawed, andcanthusleadtopoordecisionmaking.

CBA isadecision-making systemthatacknowledgesalldeci-sionsareessentially subjective–but thenguides thepartic-ipants towards basing the subjectivity on objectively discov-eredanddocumentedfacts.

JimSuhr,thecreatorofCBA,explains:“First,weteachpeoplehowtousecorrectdata.Second,weteachthemhowtousedatacorrectly.”

WithintheCBAsystem,languageisveryimportant.FivemajorCBAtermsaredefinedas:• Alternativesarepeople,things,orplansfromwhich

onewillbechosen.• An attribute is a characteristic, quality, or conse-

quenceofonealternative─oneperson,one thing,oroneplan.

• Anadvantageisadifferencebetweentheattributesoftwoalternatives.

• Factors are parts of a decision – such as a canoe-weight, stability, or color. Factors contain data thatare required formaking a decision. (A factor is notthesameasanattribute).

• A criterion is a standard, rule, or test on which ajudgmentordecision canbebased.A criterion is adecision that guides further decision making. Themeaningofthewordcriterionisnotthesameasthemeaningofthewordfactor.(Theyarealsonotattri-butesoradvantages.)

CBAisbaseduponthefollowingfourprinciples:1. The foundationprincipleof sounddecisionmaking:

Soundmethodsbasedecisionsontheimportanceofprospectivedifferencesamongthealternatives—notfactors, criteria, goals, roles, categories, objectives,attributes,prosandcons,andsoforth.(Thisprinciplewasrecognizedandvalidatedatleastthreecenturiesago.)

2. The fundamental rule of sound decision making:Soundmethodsbasedecisionsontheimportanceofadvantages—notadvantagesanddisadvantages.(Anadvantage isadifferencebetween theattributesoftwoalternatives.)

3. Theprincipleofanchoring: Soundmethodsanchordecisions to the relevant facts. (In theCBAvocabu-lary,methodsthatdonotbasedecisionsontherele-vantfactsarecalledunsoundmethods.)

4. The pivotal (critically important) sound–deci-sion-makingprinciple:Engineers,architects,leadersinorganizations,andso forthareprofessionaldeci-sionmakers. They need to learn and skillfully usesoundmethodsofdecisionmaking.

2.0 What

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CHOOSINGBYADVANTAGES | 3

CAUTION!CBAmustbe facilitated bysomeonetrainedandpracticedinCBA.Theprocesscanappeartobedecep-tivelysimple,butifitisappliedincorrectlyitwillyieldunsoundresults.

Thefacilitatorandparticipantsshouldbeawareofandguardagainstgamingthesystemtorailroadadecisionintoapredeterminedoutcome.

ItisrecommendedthatactiveparticipantsinaCBAeffortattendaone-hourintroductiontoCBAsessionthatisfacil-itatedbyanexpertuserofthesystem.

3.0 How

CBAisoftenusedwhenmultiplevariablesneedtobeconsideredtomakeaninformeddecision.Thismaymeanmultiplesolutionsexistbutateamcan’tdeterminethebestoutcome.Thisprocessis oftenusefulwhenvarious constituents are focusingon theirindividualneedsandnotthoseofotherstakeholders.CBAoftenleads to alternatives previously not considered as participantsgain adeeperunderstandingof theattributes, factors, criteria,andadvantages.Thisisanexcellenttooltodocumentthereasonsbehinddecisions,particularly ifpartiesnot involved inthepro-cessneedjustificationforthesecriticaldecisions.

CBAoffersmultiplewaystoreachbothsimpleandcomplexdeci-sions.Tobeeffectiveandsustainable,CBAshouldbeappliedtoanydecisionfacingateam.TeamsthatfrequentlyuseCBAreadilybuildatrustandfamiliaritywiththesystem.

CBA works well when teams are assessing mutually exclusivealternatives (for example, different HVAC systems or structuralframetypes forabuilding). Italsoworkswellwhenprioritizingresourceallocationsuchashowtobestapplylaborresourcesorwhichvalue-addoptionsshouldbeadoptedtogeneratethemostsavings.

AnexamplethatisoftenusedinCBAworkshopstoillustratethesedefinitionsisthechoicebetweentwocanoes:CanoeCandCanoeK.Inthecanoe-weightfactor,theattributeofCis65Pounds.Inthissamefactor,theattributeofKis75Pounds.

In this factor, the stakeholders (thosewho will be using the canoe) establishedthe following criterion: Lighter is better.

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