In this episode of Ask a Decision Engineer, Michelle Florendo explores the Society of Decision Professionals (SDP) through conversations with members at their annual conference. She speaks with Lindsay Oyola, SDP's President-Elect, and other practitioners about this unique community that brings together decision-makers from diverse industries—from pharma and energy to wildlife management and government. Discover how SDP creates connections across disciplines and provides practical tools for anyone looking to improve their decision-making quality.

In this episode of Ask a Decision Engineer, Michelle Florendo explores a fundamental question with decision science practitioners from around the world: Who should be learning decision-making skills? Through conversations with professionals across industries—from corporate executives to data scientists—this episode reveals the universal applicability of decision science principles. Guests share insights on how structured decision-making can transform organizations, improve personal choices, and create more inclusive conversations. Whether you're leading a team, influencing strategy, or simply navigating life's complexities, this episode demonstrates why decision-making skills aren't just nice-to-have—they're essential for everyone.

In this episode of Ask a Decision Engineer, Michelle Florendo explores the human side of decision analysis - what Audrey Del Vescovo calls "power skills." Moving beyond technical frameworks, this episode reveals how decision-making tools create more inclusive conversations, empower diverse voices, and help people work together more effectively. Through insights from practitioners like Andrew Thrift, Walter Cosi, Audrey Del Vescovo, Lee Failing, Samantha Rush, and Reidar Bratvold, Michelle demonstrates that the most valuable aspects of decision science aren't the complex formulas, but the human skills that help us think more clearly and include more perspectives.

In this episode of Ask a Decision Engineer, Michelle Florendo features voices from members of the Society of Decision Professionals to explore the diverse applications of decision analysis tools across industries. From energy utilities balancing environmental and economic trade-offs to pharmaceutical companies managing billion-dollar drug development portfolios, discover how structured decision-making frameworks are being used to tackle complex challenges in fields ranging from consumer goods to mining operations.

In this episode of Ask a Decision Engineer, Michelle Florendo takes listeners inside the Society of Decision Professionals conference to explore a fascinating question: What do you call the field that helps people make better decisions? Through conversations with practitioners from around the world, Michelle uncovers the many names this discipline goes by—decision analysis, decision science, decision quality, structured decision making—and why the terminology matters. From pharmaceutical companies to natural resources management, these professionals share their perspectives on a field that's been quietly improving decision-making for decades.

In this mini episode of Ask a Decision Engineer, Michelle Florendo takes listeners behind the scenes of the 2025 Society of Decision Professionals Annual Conference in Vancouver. After years of virtual participation, Michelle finally attended in person and was amazed by the diversity of attendees who traveled from around the world to connect and learn about decision-making. From data scientists to graduate students to organizational culture experts, she interviews first-time attendees to understand what drew them to this "hidden gem" of a conference and what they hope to gain from the decision-making field. "It's as if this is some best kept secret that the people in this space don't actually want to keep a secret." — Michelle Florendo Many people don't realize there's an entire field dedicated to decision-making, complete with professionals, conferences, and academic research. In this episode, Michelle opens the door to this world by sharing voices from the 2025 Society of Decision Professionals Conference, revealing how diverse professionals from different industries and backgrounds are all united by their interest in making better decisions. This season was made possible in partnership with the Society of Decision Professionals.

In this episode of Ask a Decision Engineer, Michelle Florendo responds to David's question about making decisions in the face of risk and uncertainty. She introduces the Relief-Regret framework, a practical tool she developed to help decision-makers navigate uncertain outcomes when perfect information isn't available.

In this episode of Ask a Decision Engineer, Michelle Florendo shares a deeply personal journey through a high-stakes decision involving family, health, and values. Joined by Shanice Webb, the conversation dives into applying decision-making frameworks to real-life challenges where outcomes are uncertain, and the stakes are significant.

In this episode of Ask a Decision Engineer, Michelle Florendo addresses a thoughtful question from a listener about balancing emotions during decision-making. Tackling the dual challenge of distancing oneself from emotions while still taking them into account, Michelle reframes emotions as valuable sources of data. Through frameworks, practical steps, and real-world examples, she demonstrates how emotions, when noticed and named, can guide better decisions.

In this heartfelt episode of Ask a Decision Engineer, Michelle Florendo opens up about her personal experience of facilitating an end-of-life retreat for her mother-in-law, Joyce, following a stage-four terminal cancer diagnosis. Joined by Shanice Webb, Michelle explores how decision-making frameworks, emotional clarity, and collaboration can guide families through some of life’s most challenging moments. Through personal anecdotes and decision-making insights, Michelle offers listeners a deeply reflective guide to navigating emotions, fostering communication, and finding clarity amidst uncertainty. "What is an entry point into these conversations about heavy things? It’s this question of, ‘How do you want to feel?’" – Michelle Florendo Life often presents us with decisions we are unprepared to face—ones steeped in uncertainty and emotion. In this episode, Michelle shares one such personal experience: navigating the final months of her mother-in-law’s life after a devastating cancer diagnosis.

Michelle Florendo explores a question people often ask her privately: Why are decisions so hard? She addresses the common feeling of isolation when struggling with decisions and delves into how technology and societal changes have impacted our decision-making processes. Michelle offers insights into why decisions feel more difficult than ever before and provides reassurance that these struggles are normal and how the current environment does not set up decision-makers for success.

In this special episode, Michelle Florendo reflects on five years of hosting "Ask a Decision Engineer." Joined by her friend Shanice Webb, Michelle shares insights about the podcast's evolution from a maternity leave project to an international resource for decision-making advice. They discuss overcoming fears, measuring impact, and the journey of adapting content to fit a global audience. Through moments of vulnerability, Michelle illustrates the importance of determination and continuous growth in her work.

In this highly anticipated return season of her podcast, Stanford-trained Decision Engineer Michelle Florendo invites listeners to explore the art and science of decision-making through a uniquely personal lens. Drawing from her 15 years of experience coaching thousands through complex choices, Florendo reflects on her own five-year podcasting journey, which began with a friend's dare. The new season promises fresh insights into decision-making frameworks, candid discussions about her own challenging decisions, and practical applications of decision engineering principles. Through intimate storytelling and expert analysis, Florendo demonstrates that even the most daunting decisions can be approached with clarity and confidence.

So often in the midst of change or the unknown where our mind goes first is what are we going to do? But what if the key to being able to navigate change and uncertainty was less about doing, but rather a way of being? Today, I'm in conversation with April Rinne, a futurist, speaker, and author of the book, Flux: 8 Superpowers For Thriving In Constant Change, where she shares what she has found is the most effective way for navigating the current world of rapidly accelerating unexpected change. We talk about the illusion that keeps us from seeing things as they are, why cultivating a flux mindset now is more important than ever before, and some of the superpowers that can empower you when responding to change and making decisions. For full show notes and additional resources, visit askadecisionengineer.com

Whenever I teach about decision making, inevitably, the comment comes up, "These frameworks are great and all, but what do I do about the other people in the room?" Decision making in groups definitely adds a layer of complexity. That's why I invited Katherine Rosback, an expert decision and risk analysis facilitator and a colleague of mine from the Society of Decision Professionals onto the show. We'll be talking about the science behind asking questions, how to lay the groundwork for shifting someone's perspective, and strategies for facilitating more effective meetings. For full show notes and additional resources, visit askadecisionengineer.com

In all my years of teaching about decision making, no topic generates more angst than the need to know. But how do you know what you know? How do you know when you know what you know? And how do you integrate this knowing into some of the most important decisions of your life? In this episode, I invited Dave Evans onto the show to talk all about these topics of knowing and discernment. Dave is the co-author of Designing Your Life and Designing Your New Work Life. He co-founded the Stanford Life Design lab and holds the title of discernment lead for a social impact accelerator. He shares a number of things he's learned from sitting with thousands of lives via the Designing Your Life programs, including how to go beyond cognitive knowing, the important distinction between certainty and faith, how to approach when things go wrong, and exercises for honing your discernment. For full show notes and additional resources, visit askadecisionengineer.com

Risk. For some people, the very thought sends chills down their spines, yet for others, the topic prompts a sense of thrill. Why is that the case? And what does that mean for how we think about risk in decision making? To answer those questions and more, I turned to Michele Wucker, author of the books, The Gray Rhino, and You Are What You Risk. We chat about how the way we define risk matters, the layers of factors that make up our risk fingerprint, and things to keep in mind about risk when making group decisions. For full show notes and additional resources, visit askadecisionengineer.com

Confidence is a critical part of decision making and being an effective leader. Not enough confidence and you won't move a decision to the action or be able to cultivate the support needed to move it forward. Too much confidence and you could make decisions that unnecessarily put you and others at risk. So how do you walk the line of having just the right amount of confidence? Today, I speak with Don Moore: confidence expert, UC Berkeley Haas School of Business professor and author of the book, Perfectly Confident. We discuss the different types of overconfidence we should be aware of as well as ways that decision makers can better calibrate their confidence. He'll also share insights from his latest book Decision Leadership, which helps leaders think about how to empower people within their organizations to make better choices. For full show notes and additional resources, visit askadecisionengineer.com

Decisions. They are the way we can steer our lives forward, yet how much thought do people give to how they are making them? And more importantly, what are the small things we can do to improve them? In this episode, I go back to basics with global decision making expert, Ralph Keeney. Ralph is a Professor Emeritus of Business Administration at Duke University and a Professor Emeritus of Industrial and Systems Engineering at the University of Southern California. He has written multiple books on decision making, including Value-Focused Thinking, Smart Choices, and Give Yourself A Nudge. We talk about why it's worth putting thought into how you make decisions, the impact of shifting focus from decision problems, to decision opportunities, the importance of defining your values in a decision and some quick things you can do to improve your decision making. For full show notes and additional resources, visit askadecisionengineer.com