Decision Intelligence is the discipline of designing decisions. It is used by organizations facing decisions with complex consequences, as well as by individuals looking to improve their decision making.
DI also helps us to move from being overwhelmed with information to understanding how the choices we make affect our goals: improving agency within a world filled with complex and volatile systems.
Core to decision intelligence is the idea of designing a decision. Throughout history, when humans work together to build complex things – buildings, airplanes, big projects – we invent standardized ways of diagramming – blueprints, CAD systems, GANTT charts. Decisions are complex in this way, so using a diagram that we can all understand is long overdue, and has thousands of cascading benefits. Imagine building a skyscraper based on a text document and conversation and you’ll have an idea of the breakthrough we achieve when we use a diagram instead.
Some organizations also use decision intelligence to connect to data, organizational knowledge, and digital tools like AI and ML. The formality of DI decision design is essential to this process, providing a clear and widely understandable way to connect these technologies to clear and measurable outcomes.
Decision Intelligence helps to clarify decisions, align stakeholders, and connect digital capabilities to real results.
There are several ways individuals and organizations begin learning and applying Decision Intelligence.
Organizational workshops and transformation programs
The fastest way to understand Decision Intelligence in practice is through a live workshop with your team.
These sessions introduce the modeling approach and help organizations map decision chains connecting data, actions, and outcomes.
They are commonly delivered for:
- Leadership groups facing challenging decisions, often in complex, volatile, and uncertain environments
- Analytics and data leadership teams
- Digital strategy and transformation programs
- Organizations investing heavily in data and AI
- Teams responsible for driving ROI from digital assets
- Decision intelligence service providers (DISPs)
Organizations use these sessions to:
- upskill decision making across the organization
- create a framework for integrating AI into business decisions
- connect digital investments to measurable outcomes
- drive ROI from analytics and data assets
- align stakeholders across silos to maximize cross-project value
- launch a new DI-centric startup company
Workshop formats range from short executive briefings to multi-day working sessions where teams begin modeling important decisions together.
Learn the modeling method (courses)
Introduction to Decision Intelligence (IDI)
A self-paced course that teaches the core Decision Intelligence modeling method.
Participants learn how to:
• map complex organizational decisions using causal decision diagrams (CDD)
• identify where data or AI could improve outcomes
• reveal misaligned incentives and silo conflicts
• clarify the connection between actions, outcomes, external (context), and intermediate metrics along a causal chain
• create decision models that can be reviewed and improved over time
Getting Started with Decision Intelligence (GSWDI)
A live cohort version of the course.
Participants receive:
- all elements in Introduction to DI (above) plus the following:
- live instruction sessions
- feedback on decision models
- peer interaction
- graded work and certificate
Contact us for customized training and group discounts.
Explore the ideas
Many people first encounter Decision Intelligence through talks, podcasts, and interviews.
These discussions explain why modern AI and analytics systems increasingly require explicit decision models connecting data to outcomes.
Decision Intelligence News
A curated publication highlighting discussions, research, and developments related to Decision Intelligence, AI systems, and organizational decision making.
Many practitioners follow the publication to stay informed about how the field is evolving.
→ https://decisionintelligencenews.com
The Only Constant podcast
In this conversation, Lorien Pratt discusses why organizations need explicit decision models in order to connect complex digital systems to measurable outcomes. Dr. Pratt has been interviewed on many podcasts (find them here and on the DI News page); we think this is the best one.
Operationalize Decision Intelligence with software
Organizations applying Decision Intelligence often need tools to support modeling, collaboration, and decision analysis.
World Modeler is a self-service Decision Intelligence modeling and simulation platform.
It helps teams:
- model complex decisions
- explore how actions influence outcomes
- test strategies using simulation
- receive recommendations for decision makers, along with explanations
- collaborate on decision models across teams
- build general-purpose “template” decision models that can be specialized for particular organizations.
Books and written material
Link: How Decision Intelligence Connects Data, Actions, and Outcomes for a Better World
Explains how decision models connect data systems to outcomes across organizations and policy contexts.
The Decision Intelligence Handbook
A collection of perspectives from practitioners and researchers working in the emerging discipline.
Many practitioners explore these books alongside courses or workshops.
Participate in the emerging field
Decision Intelligence is an emerging professional discipline.
The OpenDI community supports collaboration among practitioners working on decision modeling, AI, and organizational decision making.
Typical learning paths
There is no single path into Decision Intelligence, but many practitioners begin in one of these ways.
Organizations
Workshop → internal modeling → software tools
Individual practitioners
IDI course → advanced training → applied projects
Technology and analytics leaders
Talks or books → workshops with teams