MEPX
Chapter 8 of 10All chapters
  1. 1Process over outcome
  2. 2Matching effort to stakes
  3. 3Framing the decision
  4. 4Working with uncertainty
  5. 5Where judgement bends
  6. 6Deciding in groups
  7. 7When to gather more
  8. 8Committing and changing course
  9. 9Personal decisions
  10. 10Reviewing decisions

Chapter 8 of 10

Committing and changing course

Two different failures.

Escalation

Continuing because of what has already been spent is sunk cost. Setting a review point and criteria in advance makes stopping a plan rather than an admission.

  • Write the conditions under which you would abandon this, before starting.
  • Someone not involved in the original decision should run the review.

Flip-flopping

The opposite failure is changing direction on every new piece of information. Deciding in advance what would justify a change protects against both.