The complexity of today's dairy farms makes it hard in many cases to get to real problems, to get beyond symptoms or to see trees rather than a forest. Important aids to problem identification include a good farm record system, well thought out standards for business analysis, clear and regular communication with all people involved in the operation, an annual statement which summarizes progress and lays out specific plans for the next year, awareness of new developments in technology and regular contact and interaction with other dairy farmers. Once the problem is defined, one can proceed to determine the factors which affect the problem and information needed about viable alternatives. Without information, decision making is by hunch and intuition. On the other hand, too much time can be spent gathering data.
Additional data have a cost in money and time.
The additional costs need to be weighed against the benefits of additional data. The most creative part of decision making is the identification of alternatives which prove worthy of serious consideration and analysis. Creative potential in a person needs to become creative action. Practice helps one become more creative. Years of being uncreative in approaching problems convinces one that there are few alternatives to be considered.