# Presentation: 016419

## Identify the differences between Analytical Decision Making and Intuitive Decision Making 

**Identify the differences between Analytical Decision Making and Intuitive Decision Making **
**Describe basic design and delivery requirements for Tactical Decision Games (TDGS)**
**Demonstrate how Sand Table Exercises (STEX) can be used to deliver TDGS**

## How We Decide

- Part I

## Observation #1

_**Observation #1**_
**Decision making skills are developed through practice **

## Observation #2

_**Observation #2**_
**The lower the echelon of command the simpler, faster, more direct and accelerated the decision process**

## Observation #3

_**Observation #3**_
**The ability to rapidly develop solutions to new problems is based on pattern recognition **

## Intuitive Decision Making (reactive)

**Intuitive Decision Making (reactive)**
**	****Pattern recognition based on previous experience**
**Analytical Decision Making (planned)**
**	****Calculated selection of alternatives**

## Rely on experience to recognize the essence of a given situation or problem

**Rely on experience to recognize the essence of a given situation or problem**
**Utilize pattern recognition from previous actions, observations, and training to develop the solution**

## Situation Awareness

**Best way to improve decision making is to improve pattern recognition, the best way to improve pattern recognition is to improve. . . **

_**Situation Awareness**_

## Rarely is there only “one right” answer

- In the Fire Environment

**Rarely is there only “one right” answer**
**“****A good plan executed now is better than the perfect plan executed too late”**

## Identify possible options

**Identify possible options**
**Analyze all options according to a set criteria**
**Calculate a value for all criteria of each option**
**Choose the option with highest total criteria values**

## In Theory . . . . .

**In Theory . . . . .**
**The highest value option will provide the most optimal solution**

## In Reality . . . . .

- In the Fire Environment

**In Reality . . . . .**
**The environment is constantly changing and information can quickly become outdated**
**Lack of time can hamper the ability to conduct an accurate analysis**

## Both analytical and intuitive decision making are used on the fireground

**Both analytical and intuitive decision making are used on the fireground**
**Firefighters at the tactical level rely primarily on intuitive decision making**
**Decision making skills can be improved with  practice **

## So why spend time playing games when there is work to do . . .

## TDGS and STEX provide a simple, adaptable, and repeatable method of challenging a firefighter to make decisions in situations they will face on the fireground

**TDGS and STEX provide a simple, adaptable, and repeatable method of challenging a firefighter to make decisions in situations they will face on the fireground**

## Practice making decisions in an operational context

**Practice communicating those decisions in the form of briefings or instructions**
**Sit in the “hot seat” and build pattern recognitions skills**

- Intent of TDGS/STEX

## Facilitator provides information or a briefing describing a scenario

**Student plays the role of a leader in a dilemma that requires a decision**
**Requires interactive two-way communication between role players**

- What is a Tactical Decision Game

**Notes:**
What is a TDG?
What is it for?

## 
Utilizes a 3-D terrain model to help visually develop and present a TDGS
Ideally suited for group exercises
Low tech simulation method

**Utilizes a 3-D terrain model to help visually develop and present a TDGS**
**Ideally suited for group exercises**
**Low tech simulation method**

- What is a Sand Table Exercise

## 
Suspend disbelief
Induce stress
Create dilemmas
Observe behaviors

**Suspend disbelief**
**Induce stress**
**Create dilemmas**
**Observe behaviors**

- What is a Simulation

## Designing 

**TDGS**

- Part II

## Put participants in role-play situations

**Provide limited information**
**Apply time constraints**
**Face a dilemma**
**Conduct an After Action Review (AAR)**

- How TDGS Work

## Enforce a time limit so players feel some of the stress that would be present in a real fireground situation

**Require decisions be communicated in the the form of real time instructions**
**There are no “School Solutions”**

- Rules of TDGS

## Takes place prior to designing a TDGS

**Facilitator identifies the goal of the TDGS**
**It can be a very specific objective:    “Practice standard report on conditions procedure with dispatch”**
**Or it can be a more comprehensive:               “Let’s work** **on initial attack operations”**

- Develop a Training Objective

## Start with a problem, not a solution

**Start general, then get specific**
**Create uncertainty**
**Create time pressure**
**Create competing priorities**
**Create interaction between resources or subordinates**

- Guidelines For Designing TDGS

**Notes:**
What does Schmitt recommend regarding the designing of TDGs?

[Show guidelines slides]

** **

- Guidelines For Designing TDGS

**Build to a single dilemma that requires an immediate decision**
**OR**
**Identify multiple decision points and script a dynamic simulation    (Decision Tree)**

**Notes:**
What is the Crux?  [Putting the student in a dilemma in which he must quickly make a decision wrapped in uncertainty.  As Stolfi put it, “to develop a bias for action.”]

## The Decision Tree

## Delivering 

**TDGS **
**using Sandtables  **

- Part III

## “Tell me and I will forget, Show me and I may remember, but involve me and I will understand”

**“**_**Tell me**_** and I will forget, **_**Show me**_** and I may remember, but **_**involve me**_** and I will understand”**
** – ****Chinese proverb**

##  Enthusiastic

-  Tactically knowledgeable
-  Thinks quickly on feet
-  Keeps it moving

- Able to summarize lessons
- Critiques without being critical
- Involves all players

- TDGS/STEX Facilitor Characteristics

## Try to achieve a balance!

** ****Confrontational - keep the pressure on**

**Try to achieve a balance!**

- TDGS/STEX Environment

**Notes:**
FACILITATING DMGs

How about facilitating a TDG?
What styles can you assume as the instructor?

[show styles slide]
[show qualities slide]

## Brief group with all players assuming they are the designated leader

**Provide a short time for players to develop their decision and instructions**
**Select a player to issue instructions verbally as they would on the fireground**
**Have more than one player take the hot seat and issue instructions**

- TDGS/STEX Facilitation

## Paint a good picture of the environment in the briefing

**Control the tempo with time tags and piece movement**
**Murphy invented TDGS...insert uncertainty and adversity into the game with pre-planned inputs**
**Utilize IRPG and other SOPs**

- TDGS/STEX Facilitation

## Always AAR...focus on decision making

**As the facilitator, you should not be doing most of the talking**
**Ask the players to think aloud – describe situational awareness, how decision was made, etc**
**Avoid leading questions, ask open-ended questions**

- TDGS/STEX Facilitation

## General form: Asking about X, where X is a specific subject and where there is more than one “right way” to answer.

**Examples:****	**** **_**HOW**_** would you  have handled the situation?**
_**WHY**_** is it important to _________?**
_**WHY NOT**_** just simplify things and only __________?**
_**WHAT**_** are some experiences you’ve had in the past that are similar to this situation?**
_**WHAT**_** would you do **_**IF**_** _________?****	****	**

- Open-Ended Questions

## Concentrate on decision making, NOT on tactics
Stick with the training objectives
Emphasize effective communication
Utilize standard local unit identifiers
Utilize IPRG, SOPs, and other job aids
Create a level of positive stress
Conduct an After Action Review

**Stick with the training objectives**
**Emphasize effective communication**
**Utilize standard local unit identifiers**
**Utilize IPRG, SOPs, and other job aids**
**Create a level of positive stress**
**Conduct an After Action Review**

- TDGS/STEX Summary

## Briefing

- Adaptable Tool

**Briefing**
**After Action Review**
**Planning **
**Training (TDGS, Topo Interp, etc)**
**Full scale simulations**

**Notes:**
have you seen any of these being used at TBS?
			-these are some that Dr Klein has collected, can we add any others to the list?
			-if you had to choose 2 of these to pass on to your Lts, which two would they be? (keep a tally, see what the two favorites are)
			-one of the most versatile to use at TBS is the use of the open-ended question (show question slide)
		-After observation of coaches and trainers in many different fields, Dr Klein's group noticed these similarities between most good coaches (show skilled coaches slide)