Decision Making: A Complete Guide to Better Decisions

This course is part of multiple programs.

Instructor: Chris Croft

7 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

7 hours to complete

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

7 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

7 hours to complete

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

Apply practical decision-making tools, including decision trees, risk analysis, stakeholder analysis, and rating charts to make better choices.
Recognise cognitive biases, evaluate options objectively, balance logic with intuition, and make confident decisions in complex situations.

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Assessments

7 assignments

Taught in English

See how employees at top companies are mastering in-demand skills

Learn more about Coursera for Business

logos of Petrobras, TATA, Danone, Capgemini, P&G and L'Oreal

Build your subject-matter expertise

This course is available as part of

When you enroll in this course, you'll also be asked to select a specific program.

Learn new concepts from industry experts
Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
Earn a shareable career certificate

There are 7 modules in this course

Led by world renowned instructor Chris Croft, the course combines practical tools with insights from psychology, management, and critical thinking. You'll learn how to avoid common decision-making traps, identify hidden assumptions, gather the right information, evaluate risks, and compare options objectively. You'll also practise many techniques such as stakeholder analysis, decision trees, rating charts, risk analysis, opportunity cost, and how to balance logic with intuition.

For both work and home, the quality of your decisions has a direct impact on your success. In this practical course you'll learn proven approaches to making more confident and more effective decisions in every situation. We cover how cognitive biases, emotions, group dynamics, and personality can influence your judgement, and then how to use this knowledge to make better choices and avoid your own blind spots. The course also covers practical strategies for simplifying complex decisions, checking the quality of your conclusions, and improving your confidence when faced with uncertainty. Whether you're a manager, team leader, business professional, entrepreneur, or simply someone who wants to make better decisions in work and life, this course will provide you with a practical toolkit that you can apply immediately.

Good decisions begin long before choosing an option. In this module, you'll learn why decision-making matters, how to identify stakeholders, how to gather the right information, and why many people procrastinate or rush into decisions too quickly. You'll discover how to create a strong foundation before committing to a course of action.

What's included

6 videos2 readings1 assignment

6 videosTotal 8 minutes

Why decision-making is important.2 minutes
There's no need to rush1 minute
Who are the stakeholders?2 minutes
Have you got ALL of the options?1 minute
Avoidance and Procrastination1 minute
Should you be making a different decision really?1 minute

2 readingsTotal 20 minutes

Weighing stakeholder influence10 minutes
Solving the right problem10 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes

Why it’s important: Before you start30 minutes

Sometimes the best decision is to challenge your original thinking. In this module, you'll learn how to test assumptions, view problems from different angles, identify hidden biases, and reconsider options when new information becomes available. You'll discover why changing your mind can be a strength rather than a weakness.

What's included

4 videos1 assignment

The quality of your decisions often depends on the quality of your information. In this module, you'll explore where information comes from, how to judge its reliability, and how to avoid common traps such as relying on assumptions, rumours, or incomplete evidence. You'll learn practical techniques for gathering information that supports better decisions.

What's included

5 videos1 assignment

Many decisions become easier once they are properly structured. In this module, you'll learn how to compare options, identify key decision criteria, understand the impact of personality biases, and evaluate both opportunities and risks. You'll discover practical tools that bring greater clarity and confidence to complex decisions.

What's included

8 videos1 reading1 assignment

8 videosTotal 14 minutes

Make it visual2 minutes
Comparison Charts1 minute
What extra information do you need in order to make a really good decision?1 minute
Optimists and Pessimists1 minute
Two commonly-forgotten factors2 minutes
What is the opportunity cost?3 minutes
Should you sleep on it?2 minutes
Valuing the factors mathematically1 minute

1 readingTotal 10 minutes

Weighing up personality bias10 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes

Clarifying the decision30 minutes

Great decision-makers think differently. In this module, you'll explore critical thinking techniques that help you overcome emotional reactions, challenge assumptions, consider long-term consequences, and evaluate issues more objectively. You'll develop habits that lead to clearer thinking and stronger judgement.

What's included

8 videos1 reading1 assignment

8 videosTotal 14 minutes

Allowing enough time and space2 minutes
Don’t let your comfort zone affect your decision1 minute
Can you introduce more measurement and more facts?2 minutes
Should you let emotions guide you?1 minute
Avoid the sunk cost fallacy2 minutes
The biggest obstacle is your personality2 minutes
Think about all of the timescales: short medium and long2 minutes
How will your choice affect the rest of the system?1 minute

1 readingTotal 10 minutes

Applying the 10-10-10 method10 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes

Ways to think better30 minutes

Eventually every decision requires commitment. In this module, you'll bring together the tools and techniques from earlier sections, including decision trees, comparison charts, risk analysis, weighting systems, and other practical frameworks. You'll learn how to select the right decision-making method and make confident decisions, even when facing complex choices.

What's included

9 videos7 readings1 assignment

9 videosTotal 29 minutes

Are compromises win-win or lose-lose?2 minutes
Use a decision tree6 minutes
How to do an effective risk analysis4 minutes
Different criteria for decisions4 minutes
Use a rating chart4 minutes
Pros and cons of rating charts3 minutes
Use both logic and gut... and they must agree2 minutes
What is the decision is a very close call?2 minutes
A process for deciding which method to choose1 minute

7 readingsTotal 70 minutes

Creating a Mind Map10 minutes
What to do for very complicated decisions10 minutes
Using a Comparison Chart10 minutes
Applying Risk Analysis principles10 minutes
How to choose a decision making tool10 minutes
Weighing Your Options with maths10 minutes
Selecting the Right Method10 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes

Finally MAKING the decision30 minutes

The best decision-makers review their decisions after implementation. In this final module, you'll learn how to test the robustness of your decisions, identify potential weaknesses, consider alternative outcomes, and learn from your results. By doing so, you'll continuously improve your judgement and make better decisions in the future.