Decision Making

In this episode, Ricardo talks about his recent adventure of moving homes. He shares insights from selling his old house and buying a new one, planning the move for a less busy time, and the unexpected turn of events when he decided to renovate his new apartment. The journey, filled with planning and chaos, offers a unique perspective on project management applied to personal life.

In this episode, Ricardo explores the difficulty in completing projects, highlighting three leading causes. First, anxiety causes you to start more projects than you can finish, resulting in a backlog of work. Second, planning based on ideal conditions leads to underestimating the actual complexity of the work, which causes delays.

In this episode, Ricardo discusses the common practice of calculating Expected Monetary Value (EMV) for risk management. EMV involves multiplying the probability of a risk by its impact to determine the exposure and, in turn, the financial reserves needed. He points out that using EMV for risk reserves is only effective when managing a large portfolio of risks as an insurance company does.

In this episode, Ricardo discusses the standard rhetoric of change in organizations and individuals. While many talk about the need for change, they often struggle to take action. Ricardo emphasizes the importance of understanding the purpose of change and how it benefits individuals and organizations. Without a compelling reason to change, people tend to resist it due to fear of the unknown.

In this "5 Minutes Podcast" episode, Ricardo discusses topics 6 to 10 of the research on AI in project management. Topic 6 reveals that 25 to 26% of experts see AI as a tool to enhance diversity and reduce bias, while Topic 7 highlights the concerns of 75% regarding AI's ethical implications, particularly in decision-making.

In this episode, Ricardo discusses the Minimax Strategy, highlighting its role in decision-making under uncertainty. Instead of focusing on the technical aspects of the algorithm, he explores its philosophical underpinnings. He underscores how this approach aids in prioritizing risks that could inflict the most significant loss on a project.

In this episode, Ricardo discusses the tragedy of the Titan Submersible, highlighting what we can learn from this deep-sea catastrophe. He discusses the inherent complexities of oceanic exploration and their implications on project management, using the submersible's story as a case study.

In this episode, Ricardo introduces the timeless philosophy of Occam's Razor, a principle that champions simplicity. Coined by 14th Century philosopher William of Ockham, this concept prompts us to choose the most straightforward explanation or solution when faced with equally good alternatives. He discusses how this principle can streamline our approach to project management.

In today's episode, Ricardo guides you through the fascinating world of second-order consequences, focusing on the Cobra Effect. He explores how solutions that seemed reasonable in the short term can sometimes spawn more complex issues in a project environment if not adequately anticipated. Ricardo suggests you rethink your decision-making process and underline the importance of considering all potential outcomes before deciding.

In this week's podcast, Ricardo discusses some common mistakes that can be made when making decisions in various contexts, such as a project. Our decision may have positive and negative consequences depending on the circumstances because we may have to sacrifice to achieve our objectives. To avoid errors, we must first understand the relationship between the decision and its outcomes (a good result does not always mean a good decision).

In this week's episode, Ricardo talks about the moment to get out of a certain situation and discusses three essential points based on the book "Quit" by Annie Duke. People are socialized to believe that staying in a harmful situation is a virtue, so the idea of stopping what is toxic, whether professionally or personally, is often seen as a negative choice and a demonstration of fragility.

Learn with Ricardo Vargas the main aspects of technology maturity and the costs and risks associated with using more or less mature technology. NASA developed this tool in the 70s, but many organizations currently use it to understand the risks associated with using a specific technology on a project. Be mindful that technology here is not only IT-based. It can be a new type of concrete, material, disruptive organizational design, etc.

This week, Ricardo discusses decision-making processes in the context of projects, the "governance" component of the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) acronym. He explains that knowledge of governance, the organizational framework used to oversee projects, is crucial for effective decision-making. This structure and processes are used to make decisions about approving changes and planning the next steps based on project findings.

How many times we were faced with a challenge to decide in our personal life? Follow Ricardo Vargas on a journey to use a mathematical model to select the best house for you to buy. AHP is one of the most reliable tools for you to improve your decision making and apply it on your work and daily life. Created by Thomas Saaty, AHP is considered today the best approach to remove bias and increase your assertiveness in making decisions.