VPP 603

Course VPP 603 – The Strategic Decision Lab

Course Description

A critical-thinking and judgment lab for leaders who make or influence complex decisions. Participants work with incomplete information, conflicting evidence, assumptions, trade-offs, and constructive challenge — building the discipline to identify decision traps, separate fact from assumption, structure complex decisions, test recommendations, and communicate clear and credible decisions.

Course Objectives/Key Competencies

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

• Identify decision traps — recognize the cognitive biases and structural pitfalls that quietly derail sound judgment
• Separate facts from assumptions — distinguish verified evidence from inference, belief, and untested premise
• Structure complex decisions — break ambiguous, high-stakes problems into clear, decidable components
• Test recommendations — stress-test conclusions against alternative evidence and constructive challenge before committing
• Communicate clear and credible decisions — present rationale that withstands scrutiny and earns buy-in from stakeholders

Key Competencies: Strategic readiness; Critical thinking: Resource management; Bureaucratic agility