Creating and Editing a Decision

Follow these steps to create Forced Choice decisions (1 option may be chosen out of n options).
Start here as well for chances, then click here to learn how to convert a decision to a chance.
Start here as well for Open Choice decisions (m options may be chosen out of n options), then click here to learn how to convert your decision.

The highlighted background of the symbol descriptor "New Decision Tree" signals that it is activated. Simply type what your decision tree is about:

Having started Insight Tree, you see the following major elements of the decision tree:

The symbol descriptor
The end node

There are 3 node types:

Squares stand for decisions
Circles stand for chance
Triangles are end nodes that terminate branches

Insight Tree: The basic elements of a decision tree

Type what your decision tree is about and finish typing by hitting the Return key:

Your first decision:

Right mouse click the end node (the triangle) and chose "Add branches" from the context menu.

Insight Tree: Adding a first decision

Type into the new descriptors the options which will be represented by the branches.

Insight Tree: A decision with two options

The square represents the first decision you have to make. You may click on the small symbol at the square bottom to edit details of this decision

Insight Tree: Showing attributes

Now add details to the decision and its options. It may already be a good moment to add payoff numbers.

Insight Tree: A decision with attributes

Please note for payoffs:

Allways use...
Positive numbers			Negative numbers
...for cash inflows, including:			...for cash outflows, including:
	-	Revenues, profits, return on investment		-	Investments, project costs
	-	Cost savings		-	Running costs, cost increases, losses
	-	Increases in private or organizational assets		-	Decreases in private or organizational assets
	-	Other benefits which you can describe in monetary values		-	Other disadvantages which you can describe in monetary values

You can add as many options to your decision as you need (the theoretical maximum is 4,000 billions, just enough for day-by-day decision making) by right clicking any part of the decision node and selecting "Add branch".

Insight Tree: Adding further branches

The new branch can be edited immediately.

Use the right mouse-click on a branch to move it up or down, to define it as the taken option, to add a text comment to remove it again.

Insight Tree: Moving a branch up or down

Step by step you create your decision and add the information which will later be used to optimize it.