Investigating Process-Parameters for Decision Quality in Software Development Team

This paper presents a conceptual model that collectively depicts three explicitly-cited process parameters for achieving group decision quality. The research proposes that the existence of any one of these three parameters can positively impact group decision quality in software development teams. Firstly, by encouraging a reasoning orientation and employing a method of group consensus by giving group members instructions or rules prior to their engagement in the decision-making process may improve decision quality. Secondly, divergent thinking, which results in a broad range of ideas being considered by a group, may be encouraged by minority dissent and positively impact decision quality. Finally, following an inquiry approach during group decision making (by promoting collaborative problem solving, testing and evaluating, critical thinking, constructive criticism and minority views) may also improve decision quality. It is envisaged that by investigating the existence of these parameters in software development teams we can better understand how to achieve decision quality in groups.