Skip to main content

Strategic decision-making for the public sector professional

Strategic decision-making for the public sector professional
Thursday 17 September 2020 (9:30am to 4:30pm)

Delivered via Zoom interactive virtual workshop

Professional & Associate Members $675
Affiliate Members $775
Non Members $875

If you are a NSW public sector employee, then you are eligible for Affiliate membership free of charge. Click here to join.

This course is also available for in-house delivery. For more information please contact the Learning team on 02 8066 1900 or email [email protected] for a quote.

Knowledge, skills and tools for superior outcomes


Course Overview


Good decision-making is the foundation of individual and organisational success. But what is a good decision and how do you know that you’ve made one? Ultimately, the only thing over which any of us have control are the decisions that we make. And yet, decision-making is something in which few of people are trained.

This course is designed to provide participants with knowledge, skills and tools to make better decisions. As the environment in which public sector organisations operate becomes more complex, uncertain and fiscally constrained, the need for individuals and organisations to make good decisions is more important than ever.

Limits on time and resources, however, mean that busy professionals simply do not have time to study the science of decision-making; or investigate the latest, evidence-based research on how to maximise the probability of achieving good outcomes by improving decision quality.

Drawing on insights from the field of Decision Analysis (pioneered at Stanford and Harvard Universities), this workshop provides participants with a practical, working knowledge of how to begin making better decisions immediately; knowledge which can be used to improve their individual performance, add value and contribute to their organisation’s ability to achieve its objectives.


"Thought provoking and inspiring. This course has equipped me with practical skills and insights which I have not gained from other courses."

Aaron Bawden, Registrar, Victorian Pharmacy Authority, March 2019

Course Facilitator

Dr Seth Nicholls




Dr. Seth Nicholls is a policy and decision strategist and the Director of Nicholls Consulting Services. Over the past 16 years, Dr. Nicholls has worked extensively in academia (as a lecturer in international relations, political science and public policy); as well as in state and federal government (as a policy and project officer) and as a consultant to the South Australian, Victorian, Tasmanian and Northern Territory public sectors. During this time, Seth has also assisted a number of companies with important, high stakes decisions.

Dr. Nicholls’ work has been published in high quality, peer reviewed journals and he holds a PhD in political economy and public policy (with a research focus on high impact policy decisions) from the University of Adelaide, along with a professional certificate in Strategic Decision-Making and Risk Management from Stanford University.

Seth is passionate about helping individuals achieve their goals through a better understanding of decision-making processes and has a strong desire to help organisations in the public, private and non-government sectors effectively respond to a wide variety of complex problems.


Learning Outcomes


By the end of this course participants will be able to:

  • Approach future decisions with an understanding of what constitutes a good decision and why
  • Contribute more effectively to their organisation’s capacity to achieve its objectives through better framing, more effective use of information and alignment with organisational values
  • Improve the quality of their short, medium and long term decisions by developing their ‘decision fitness’
  • Improve their individual performance and add value to their organisation by consistently making better decisions.


"It was such great training. And hats off for managing the complexity of the online platform and keeping everyone engaged, all day. Very impressive."

Kylie Smith, Senior Consultant, Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission, May 2020

Course Structure


  • What is a good decision and how do you know that you’ve made one?
  • Framing: How to ensure that you’re solving the right problem
  • The importance and value of good information (and how to effectively use it)
  • The power of alignment and logically consistent reasoning
  • Improving the quality of your decisions by developing your ‘decision fitness’
  • Making decisions and recommendations: process and checklist


"Fantastic course and information and particularly smooth and engaging online delivery."

Angela Yao, Senior Program Officer, Victorian Department of Education and Training, May 2020

Who should attend?


This course is designed for a wide variety of professionals (at all levels of an organisation) who are interested in acquiring practical knowledge, skills and tools to make better decisions in their professional and personal lives. It is, however, particularly useful for those who are expected to:

  • Write and prepare briefs
  • Provide advice or formulate policy options/recommendations for managers, executives and other senior decision-makers
  • Perform in a policy or advisory role
  • Undertake policy analysis and/or strategic planning
  • Successfully deliver project outcomes.


What's in it for me?


Decision-making is a skill. Like any other, it can be developed over time with the right information, training and practice. In addition to providing participants with information that can assist them to make better decisions in their current role, this course will provide those who go through it with a decision-making framework that can be used to make better decisions in their personal lives.


What's in it for my organisation?


Completion of this course will benefit participants’ organisation by providing them with knowledge, skills and tools which are needed to ensure that their short, medium and longer-term decisions are consistently aligned with their organisation’s vision, mission, goals, mandate and values.


ZOOM Virtual Classroom


Our virtual classroom consists of a facilitator teaching the class to students who are dialled in remotely to the class session. Presentation slides and other digital files can be presented during the training session using the Zoom platform and the student may either focus on these resources or the facilitator.

To enable connection, you will require the following set-up:

- Sufficient internet connection – Zoom is successful on a 4G network. Any network better than 4G will enhance the student’s experience;
- A PC with a web-camera, microphone and the capacity to run the Zoom application to allow the facilitator to better interact with students in the same manner as a traditional classroom; and
- Sufficient sized monitor or screen to support the number of students in the room.

Course Materials


All course materials (including the workbooks) will be made available through our digital learning space, Illuminate. Your Illuminate access details will be provided 7 days prior to the course date.


Enquiries: For more information on our learning programs, please contact the IPAA NSW Learning Team on 02 8066 1900 or email [email protected].
When
17/09/2020 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM
AUS Eastern Standard Time
Where
ONLINE
Terms and Conditions
Payments

Payment is required prior to attending the event or course. Please contact an IPAA NSW staff member if an exception is required.

Payments - Online Events

If you have an outstanding invoice for the event, you will not receive a link to the live event. 

Online Events

Only people registered to the event can access the content. Do not share login details with people who have not registered to the event

Cancellation policy - Events
  • Cancellation must be in writing and confirmed by an IPAA NSW staff member
  • Cancellation received more than 10 business days prior to the event – no penalty will be incurred
  • Cancellation received within 6-10 business days of the event – 50% of the fee is payable
  • Cancellation received less than 6 business days prior to the event – 100% of the fee is payable
  • No show – 100% of the fee is payable
  • Registrations received less than 6 business days prior to the event are non-refundable.
Cancellation policy - Scheduled Courses
  • Cancellation must be in writing and confirmed by an IPAA NSW staff member
  • Cancellation received more than 10 business days prior to the start date – no penalty will be incurred
  • Cancellation received within 6-10 business days of the start date – 50% of the fee is payable
  • Cancellation received less than 6 business days prior to the start date – 100% of the fee is payable
  • No show – 100% of the fee is payable
  • Registrations received less than 6 business days prior to the start date are non-refundable.
Cancellation policy - Self-paced Courses
  • Cancellations are not permitted.

Note: If you do not cancel and do not attend and event or course, 100% of the fee must be paid.

Transfer policy - Events
  • All requests for transfers must be in writing
  • Substitute nominees may attend in your place where deemed appropriate; however, if a member wishes to substitute a non-member in their place the full fee will be payable.
Transfer policy - Scheduled Courses
  • All requests for transfers must be in writing
  • Your course registration can be transferred to another course without penalty if requested more than 10 business days prior to the course start date. Otherwise, the above cancellation policy applies. Transfers can only be requested when the course fee has been paid in full.
  • Transferring your registration to another person can be done at any time without penalty if nominee details are provided within a minimum of 2 business days prior to the course start date. Transferring from a member to a non-member will result in a fee increase in line with the non-member course fee.
Transfer policy - Self-paced Courses 
  • Transfers to another course are not allowed for self-paced courses.
We may in our discretion waive cancellation charges in exceptional circumstances, but we will not waive cancellation charges on account of work commitments.

Program Changes

IPAA NSW reserves the right to change programs/speakers/venue, or to cancel programs if the enrolment criteria are not met or when conditions beyond our control prevail. All registrants will be notified in the event of cancellation and their registration fee will be refunded.

Join IPAA as an Affiliate member 

Affiliate membership is free for all NSW Government email addresses.

 

Register an account as a guest

Including QLD Government & other email addresses

 

Sign in to register