Deliberative Decision Making (DDM) Toolkit
Introduction to DDM
Deliberative Decision Making (DDM) is a structured approach that helps ensure decision-making processes are authentic and high-quality, while providing strategies to run meetings where all voices are heard and valued. This toolkit provides an overview for identifying when to use this approach and how to implement this in your academic unit.
This toolkit covers:
How to implement these practices in your academic unit
Knowing Why and When to Use DDM
DDM helps departments make better, more inclusive decisions by fostering high-quality deliberation—the single most important factor in group decision success. Research and experience show that when members engage thoughtfully about problems, options, and consequences, decisions are fairer, more effective, and have lasting impact.
A department’s ability to make high-quality decisions is dependent on the quality of deliberation that precedes the choices made as a department.
DDM can be used in any department meeting, especially where informal interactional norms are a concern or priority. That said, it is particularly impactful in common discussion points and even contested or challenging department decisions such as:
Curricular, Policy, or Bylaw Revisions
Hiring
Promotion & Tenure
Reappointment Deliberations
Getting Started with DDM
This is a simple approach that can be learned and implemented quickly and primarily consists of:
Pre-decision deliberation on criteria
Interaction norms that ensure all members have equal speaking time and that counteract the effects of formal and informal power differences between committee members
Assigned roles—facilitator, timekeeper, and process monitor