Over the course of my career, a good portion of it was spent trying to help the decision-maker see that our software was the solution to his/her problem. Often, I ran into people that could not make a decision between our solution and those offered by our competitors. You could see it coming. The decision-maker was paralyzed by the prospect of making a decision. Although they often had very detailed requirements, they couldn’t decide among the systems that met the requirements. They had to search for something that was better.
I have since learned that here are two ways to approach decision-making: as a satisficer (yes, that is a word) or as a maximizer.
Satisficers are those who make a decision or take action once their criteria are met. That doesn’t mean they’ll settle for mediocrity; their criteria can be very high, but as soon as they find the pasta sauce or the business card or the software that has the qualities they want, they’re satisfied that it is the right decision.
Maximizers want to make the optimal decision. Even if they see a bicycle or a backpack that meets their requirements, they can’t make a decision until after they’ve examined every option, to make the best possible choice.
Studies suggest that satisficers tend to be happier than maximizers; maximizers spend a lot more time and energy to reach a decision, and they’re often anxious about whether they did, in fact, make the best choice.
So… my advice. Spend time understanding the requirements, and then go with the first product that meets those requirements. And don’t second-guess your decision.
LifeRules 