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Glossary
 
   
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
ABSOLUTE You absolutely/comprehensively favour one option over another. (You are as sure of this as you’re sure the earth is round…so you rarely use this point).
This is point 9 on the scale used in the JUDGEMENT method. See SCALE.
   
ACTION See OPTIONS
   
AGREED OVERALL DECISIONS

This combines all the results on the issue. They are shown objective-by-objective.

To see the same overall results shown decider-by-decider, click on OVERALL TEAM DECISIONS
   
AGREEMENT How far members of the team agree (“little” or “medium” or “much”). This is based on a valid decision standard and concordance measures.
   
ALTERNATIVES See OPTIONS
   
APPLICATIONS

See under APPLICATIONS in the HELP-INDEX

Priorities Now is used for all kinds of personal, management and professional decisions eg:

Directing – company expansion policies

Evaluating – assessing performance

Finance - return on investment

HRM – assessing & selecting staff

I.T – software selection

Management Services – job evaluation

Marketing – product development

Negotiating – industrial relations

Office Management – work prioritising

Organising – staff participation

Planning – setting objectives

Production – scheduling

R & D – managing projects

Strategy – large scale action plans

Training - skills development

 
BENEFITS The advantages of taking an option: Treat analogously to OBJECTIVES.
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CAUSES The reasons for how options turned out. Treat analogously to OBJECTIVES.
   
CO-EQUAL
DECIDERS		 If all the deciders are equally influential for the issue/ objective, then weight them all as 50% under DECIDER INFLUENCES using the INTUITION method.
   
CO-EQUAL DECIDER If all the deciders are equally influential for the issue/objective:
  • Go to the (MANAGER) INFLUENCES sub-menu
  • Select objective. Press DOWN-ARROW twice
  • F3 for each objective
   
CO-EQUAL OBJECTIVES

If all the objectives are equally important for the issue/ options, then weight each at 50% under OBJECTIVES WEIGHTING using the INTUITION method.
 
CO-EQUAL OPTIONS If all the options are equally important for an objective/ decider, then weight each as 50% under OPTIONS WEIGHTING using the INTUITION method.
 
COMPARISONS You compare options pair-by-pair under the JUDGEMENT method. (This is the paired comparison technique).
 
CONFLICT One kind of issueyou can resolve using Priorities Now.
When using Priorities Now to resolve a conflict between parties:
  • Select the disputed issue
  • List the conflicting deciders.
  • Give both parties equal (or appropriate) influence
  • Objective will be “All things considered”
  • List all their Options
  • Deciders weight options all things considered (by JUDGEMENT if possible)
  • Obtain the Inter-Group Priorities overall (these are the team priorities overall)
  • Review and debate conflicts
  • List and weight objectives
  • Obtain revised overall Inter-Group priorities
 
CONSISTENCY A valid check on the reliability of your judgements/decisicons obtained by selecting DECISIONS Tab. This establishes the degree of confidence/logicality/acceptability of your decisions. Without consistency checks, decisions & priorities are arbitrary.

See PROPORTIONATE INCONSITENCY, RANKING INCONSISTENCY & RELIABILITY CHECKS.
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DECISION An individual or team weighs up priorities between options in the light of objectives.
 
DECIDER A decider or adviser on the issue See MANAGER.
 
DECISION STANDARD See STANDARD & RELIABILITY CHECKS
 
DELETE Delete from database a previous Issue or Option or Objective or Decider.
   
DESCRIPTIONS Describe the issue and/or the work you’re doing into the description text box on ISSUE page. Describe the options/objective/decider by entering text in the appropriate boxes opened after selecting Add New/ Edit options/objecive/decider.

Description may be omitted using name only. They may be used as:

  • definitions
  • assumptions
  • considerations
  • sub-issues/problem aspects/ secondary questions
  • sub-deciders/roles/responsibilities interest
  • sub-options/tasks/cases/situations
  • sub-objectives/reasons/attributes
  • values/factors/pros or cons
  • memos
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EDIT Recall/ review/ revise your Issue, Option, Objective, Decider.
   
EQUAL You consider 2 options of equal priority or importance. Point 1 on the scale used in the JUDGEMENT method, See SCALE
  The team of Deciders involved in deciding the issue. You obtain the group or team view after all the deciders have entered their views. See GROUP PRIORITIES.
 
GROUP REPORT Select 'Team Decision' from the DECISION page.
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HELP Click on the 'Site Map & Help' link on the header
IMPLEMENTATION 1. PROPOSAL: Announce priorities and objectives
2. ACTIVITY SCHEDULE with checkpoints
3. TASK ALLOCATIONS to individuals and teams
4. ACTION by all participants
5. MONITOR action at checkpoints
6. REVIEW overall results
7. CONSOLIDATION
   
IMPORTANCE See PRIORITY.
 

INDIVIDUAL DECIDER OVERALL DECISIONS

 This shows the individual decider’s:
   Overall option priorities on all the objectives combined
   Decision standard for consistency
   
INFLUENCES The weight/importance of each Decider ’s views on the issue/objectives. Can be seen on Issue page under Deciders.
 
ISSUE A problem, conflict or questions to be resolved, decided or agreed. (e.g. Expansion...Which Departments should expand?)

You can effectively decide just about any issue with the Priorities Now program. There are basically 3 types of issue:
  • one-answer issues (one top priority is the solution)
  • do-everything issues (all options are to be taken up)
  • balanced issues (the top priority group of options are taken up)

    To decide any issue, enter at least 1 objective. 1 decider & 3 options.
 
INTENTIONS See OBJECTIVES.
 
INTUITION A quick method for deciding weights of options/objectives or decider’s influences.

Intuition tab beside Issue tab,

- Weight each option NUMERICALLY or GRAPHICALLY using slider.
- click on 'Now submit your weight to calculate' button to normalise weights (if they don't add to 100%) and get the Priority.

- Use same procedure to weight Objectives under objectives tabs on Intuition page.

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JUDGEMENT See JUDGEMENT METHOD.
 
JUDGEMENT METHOD A valid reliable method for deciding priorities between options.

Judgement tab beside Intuition tab
  • You / a Decider compare one option versus another pair by pair as presented (e.g. A versus B) in terms of the objective
  • How much more important is in option than another? Answer on the scale.
  • If 2 options are equal, leave slider at middle position 1
  • OR move pointer left or right form middle position 1 towards the more importantly option to show its degree of priority on the scale.
  • Compare all the pairs.
  • click on 'Now submit your weights to calculate' button. If there is any inconsistency, it will display the inconsistency details in a red outlined box.
   
LITTLE You consider 1option just noticeably more important or higher priority than another. Point 2 on the scale used in JUDGEMENT under options.
   
LOG IN A link available on the header section of the site. A user can Log In into the site using a valid User Name and Password.
   
LOG OFF A link available on the header section of the site. A user can Log Out from the site by clicking on the link.
DECIDER Up to 10 deciders or advisers- with relevant responsibility influence or experience on the issue (e.g. Bill, Colin, Tina). Any deciders, deciders or professional staff can effectively use the Priorities Now program.

On Issue page under Deciders you can list the deciders involved and decide their influences.


Sub-menus under DECIDER are: Edit, Weights, Data, Delete.

To decide any issue by-deafult Logged In user is added a Decider with 100% influence.
 
DECIDER INFLUENCES The weight/importance of the decider’s views on the issue/objective.

 

-Enter/change the decider’s influences Numerically or Graphically by moving the slider.

-The procedure for weighting influences is roughly analogous to the procedure for weighting options/objectives.
   
DECIDER REPORT Report’s on each individual decider’s completed data/entries/results:
  • Go to Decision Page. Under View Reports select Individual Decision.
   
MEDIUM You consider 1 option significantly or remarkably more important or of higher priority than another. Point 5 on the scale used in the JUDGEMENT ANALYSIS on the scale used in the JUDGEMENT analysis method. See SCALE.
   
MOTIVES See OBJECTIVES
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NAMES Name the issue and/or the work you’re doing by selecting 'Add New Issue' from the Issue Listing page (which comes after you have logged in into Priorities Now). Under Issue : Issue name options, objectives and deciders can be added.

Finding a name for an issue/option/objective/ deciderial role often helps clarify thinking.
 
NORMALISE Normalize your results- i.e. to make your weights priorities add up to 100 (% or points)

This is done automatically for Options and Objectives when a user click on the button 'Now submit your weights to calculate'.

Click on 'Recalculate' button under Deciders to normalize Decider's weight.

   
NUMERIC One of 2 ways of using the INTUITION method (under Option, Objective and Deciders)
  • Weight each objective / decider option between 0 and 100
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OBJECTIVES Targets, goals, intentions, motives benefits, reasons, criteria or factors to be taken into account.
(e.g. Effectiveness, Efficiency, Acceptability, Profitability).

You can effectively decide just about any objectives with the Priorities Now program.

An objective can be added by clicking on 'Add New' from Issue page under Objectives

To decide any issue, enter at least 1 decider (e.g. “me”) and 3 options.

 
   
ONE DECIDER By default 'Logged In' user is added as a Decider if no other Decider is added.
   
ONE OBJECTIVE By default “All things considered ” is added as an Objective if no other Objective is added. Then your one objective’s weight = 100%.
   
OPPORTUNITIES See OPTIONS
   
OPTIONS Minimum 3 possibilities, opportunities, alternatives, strategies, projects, products, services, activities, tasks, situations, events, or courses action (e.g. Accounts, Admin, Management Services, Personnel, R & D) needs to be added.

You can effectively decide on just about any options with the Priorities Now program.

An Option can be added by clicking on 'Add New' from Issue page under Options.

To decide any issue, enter at least 3 options (e.g. “do”, don’t, “half-do”).

   
OVERALL DECISIONS This combines all the results in the issue in one chart. This covers the overall priority weighting of all the options on all the weighted objectives by all the deciders to the extent of their influence. This combines all the results of all the deciders using the Judgement method to decide the issue including:
   Individual and team option priorities on an objective-by-objective basis
   Individual and team weightings of objectives all things considered
   Individual decider influences
   Individual and team decision standards for consistency and agreement

Note that the same applies for the Intuition method, except that here no decision standard for consistency is possible.

The overall decisions for the issue are shown as overall option priorities:
Objective-by-objective = AGREED OVERALL DECISIONS
OR Decider-by-decider =TEAM DECISIONS OVERALL
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POLICY Weighted Objectives. See Objectives.
   
POLICY-IN-PRACTICE This is a strategy. It involves deciding option priorities in the light of objectives (and their weights) and deciders (and their influences).
   
POSSIBILITIES See OPTIONS
   
PREFERENCE Your/a decider's weighting or priority of options/ objectives/ deciders based on your personal inclination/ interest/ views. See PRIORITY
   
PRINT PREVIEW - A button available on Decision Page under View Report. With the help of Print Preview a User can have the Preivew of all the Results and Reports, which can then be printed using Print button on Print Preview page.
   
PRIORITIES Each option's weighting versus the others - how relatively important desirable, achievable or preferable is each option?

OPTIONS
PRIORITY
Management Services
32.2
Accounts
23.6
Personnel
23.4
R&D
14.4
Admin.
6.4
All options
100.0


You can effectively decide priorities on just about any isuse with the Priorities Now program.
   
PRIORITIES NOW PROGRAM The Priorities program helps individuals or teams to decide priorities and objectives reliably and fast. This award-winning decision advice program was designed and developed by Work Sciences using latest University research with practising deciders.
   
PRIORITY An option's importance/ weight versus others on the agenda decided by the decider/ group in view of the objectives (& their weightings)
   
PROBABILITIES Treat analogously to WEIGHTS of PRIORITIES, except that you estimate likelihood rather than importance or preference .
   
PROBLEM A difficulty to be resolved. See ISSUE
   
PROBLEM-SOLVING Use Issue, Options, & Deciders & Priorities (& enter 1 Objective: "All things considered"), then calculate Priorities.
   
PROJECTS See OPTIONS
   
PROPORTIONATE CONSISTENCY Your priority weightings of various options conflict: eg.
A beats B by 5
A beats C by 5
B should equal C
B beats C by 8
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QUESTION Proceed as for ISSUE, but interpret objectives as possible causes
 
RANKING INCONSISTENCY Your priority ordering of various options conflict e.g.
                                         A beats B
                                         B beats C
THEREFORE :              A should beat
BUT:                               C beats A

All your ranking inconsistencies are displayed in pairs with a question-mark:
e.g.    A _____________________________________B

AN OBVIOUS INCONSISTENCY

See CONSISTENCY, PROPORTIONATE INCONSISTENCY, RELIABILITY CHECKS
   
REASONS See OBJECTIVES
   
RELIABILITY CHECKS Checks on the logicality/ consistency of individual's decisions/ judgements & of the group agreement (under the Judgement Analysis method).
   
REPORT On Decision page there are 3 reports displayed, 1)Individual Decision, 2) Team Decision, 3) Agreen Decision.
   
RESULTS Displayed on Decision page according to Agreed Decision, if Agreed Decision not available then the Result is displayed according to Team Decision and if Team Decision is not available then Result is displayed according to Individual decision.
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SAVE a button on Add Issue page to save an added issue.
   
SCALE The scale you use to weight options in the JUDGEMENT analysis method

The 1-9 scale is graphically depicted either side of the middle position (where JUDGEMENT analysis exercise). The 2 options you're comparing appear either side of the scale:

- If 2 options are equal, leave pointer at middle position 1

- OR move the pointer left or right from middle position 1 towards the more important option to show its degree of priority.

RATING DEGREES OF PRIORITY DEFINITION
1 EQUAL You consider two options of equal priority or importance.
3 LITTLE You slightly favour one option over the other, involving a 'just noticeable' preference.
5 MEDIUM You significantly favour one option over the other, at a noticeably higher threshold of performance.
7 STRONG You strongly favour one option over the other at a demonstrably higher threshold of preference.
9 ABSOLUTE You comprehensively favour one option over the other
2, 4, 6, 8 INTERMEDIATE Intermediate priorities between two scale points

   
SCROLL Use SCROLL-BAR to move/ scroll up/ down the program/ screen on the browser. Use PgUp/PgDn to move/scroll to top/bottom line of your current list.
   
SERVICES See OPTIONS
   
SITUATIONS See OPTIONS
   
SPECIFIC DECIDER DECISIONS This shows the individual decider’s :
   Option priorities for each objective in turn
   Decision standard for consistency
   
STANDARD A valid reliability check on your individual decision (i.e. whether you're acceptably consistent or unacceptably inconsistent) or on your group decisions (i.e. whether there's little or much agreement between deciders). See RELIABILITY CHECKS.
   
STRATEGIES See OPTIONS & POLICY-IN-PRACTICE
   
STRONG You consider 1 option very much more important or higher priority than another. Point 7 on the scale used in the JUDGEMENT analysis method (under OPTIONS). See SCLE
 
TASKS See OPTIONS
   
TARGETS See OBJECTIVES
   
TEAM The team of Deciders involved in deciding the issue. You obtain the group or team view after all the deciders have entered their views. See GROUP PRIORITIES.
   
TEAM DECISIONS OVERALL

This combines all the results on the issue they are shown decider-by-decider.

To see the same overall results shown objective-by-objective, click on OVERALL AGREED DECISIONS.
   
TEAM PRIORITIES The option priorities of a team of Deciders. To decide group priorities, you must enter all deciders` influences & all your weighted options for each objective.

The agreement standard shows how far deciders agree (based on standard concordance measures):
- EITHER little agreement
- OR much agreement
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WEIGHTS Relative importance, influence or priority of options, objectives or deciders expressed in points or percentages (or graphically on a scale).
   
WEIGHT DECIDERS A Decider can be weighted from 0 - 100 using the scale available under Deciders on Add Issue page.
   
WEIGHT OBJECTIVES An objective can be weighted from 0 - 100 using the scale or by entering a numeric weight on Intuition page or by using comparison scale on judgement page.
   
WEIGHT OPTIONS An option can be weighted from 0 - 100 using the scale or by entering a numeric weight on Intuition page or by using comparison scale on judgement page.