DISCERN: Designing Decision Support Interfaces for Workplace Social Decision-Making with Line Managers

Core Concepts

The authors explore the complexities of workplace social decision-making with line managers and propose DISCERN as a tool to support their communication and analysis needs.

Abstract

The study focuses on understanding line managers' decision-making practices, highlighting the importance of externalizing reasoning and supporting interactional social decision-making. DISCERN is designed to guide but not replace face-to-face interactions, provide multi-resolution representations through a tree artifact, and support "qualculation" in decision-making.

Stats

Line managers make up 60% of management ranks in most companies.
The study involved 59 line managers across three activities.
Participants primarily used note-taking tools (33%) and spreadsheets (25%) to organize their thoughts and data.
Managers preferred tools that guide active listening rather than replace it.
Managers valued tools that help reason about higher-level objectives while capturing individual judgments.
Most managers disliked numerical approaches in decision-making tools.

Quotes

"Why are we trying to minimize talking to the people that these decisions affect?" - Manager P9
"I’m not a numbers person. I’m more of like a color person." - Manager P1
"It’s weird that you could get an approximation of somebody’s opinion without talking to them." - Manager P8

Key Insights Distilled From

DISCERN

by Pranav Khadp... at arxiv.org 03-01-2024

https://arxiv.org/pdf/2402.19318.pdf

Deeper Inquiries

How can technology effectively guide active listening without replacing face-to-face interactions?

In order to guide active listening without replacing face-to-face interactions, technology should focus on supporting managers in identifying key points in conversations and facilitating information-seeking activities. This can be achieved by providing tools that help managers ask the right questions during discussions, prompt them with relevant topics to explore further, and assist in structuring their thoughts based on the input received from stakeholders. The goal is not to automate the listening process but rather enhance it by guiding managers towards meaningful interactions and insights.

What are the implications of supporting "qualculation" in decision-making tools?

Supporting "qualculation" in decision-making tools has several implications for how decisions are made and represented. By accommodating both qualitative judgments and quantitative analysis within a tool, managers can have a more holistic approach to decision-making that considers subjective reasoning alongside numerical data. This approach acknowledges the complexity of real-world decisions that often require a blend of intuitive assessments and calculative conclusions. It allows for flexibility in decision-making processes, catering to different types of decisions that may not fit neatly into purely quantitative or qualitative categories.

How can digital tools balance providing visual representations for subjective reasoning while also enabling quantitative analysis?

Digital tools can balance providing visual representations for subjective reasoning and enabling quantitative analysis by offering flexible interfaces that cater to different aspects of decision-making. For subjective reasoning, tools can incorporate visual elements such as mind maps, concept diagrams, or color-coded charts to represent objectives, preferences, or intuitions intuitively. These visuals aid in understanding complex relationships between variables or goals without relying solely on numbers.
On the other hand, for quantitative analysis, tools should include features like spreadsheets or tables where data can be entered and manipulated numerically. This allows for calculations, comparisons, weighting factors objectively based on data-driven metrics.
By integrating both visual representations for subjective reasoning and numerical capabilities for quantifiable analysis within a single tool interface (like DISCERN), digital tools can provide comprehensive support for diverse decision-making needs across different levels of abstraction.