Decision Making - How to Choose the Right Problem to Solve Course

Editorial Take

The University of Leeds' course on Coursera, 'Decision Making - How to Choose the Right Problem to Solve,' offers a focused, practical approach to one of the most overlooked skills in professional environments: problem selection. While many courses teach how to solve problems, this one emphasizes identifying which problems are worth solving in the first place—a crucial distinction that can dramatically improve efficiency and impact.

With a clear structure and real-world applicability, the course is designed for early-career professionals, managers, and lifelong learners who want to sharpen their judgment and avoid wasting time on low-impact issues. It blends foundational concepts in critical thinking with accessible frameworks that can be applied immediately in workplace settings.

Standout Strengths

• Problem Prioritization Focus: Most decision-making courses emphasize solving techniques, but this course uniquely teaches how to choose the right problem. This foundational skill prevents wasted effort and aligns actions with strategic goals.
• Structured Frameworks: Learners gain access to practical tools like the Pareto principle, decision matrices, and cost-benefit analysis. These models help quantify choices and reduce emotional bias in high-pressure environments.
• Cognitive Bias Awareness: The course integrates behavioral insights to help learners recognize mental shortcuts that distort judgment. Understanding these biases improves long-term decision quality across personal and professional contexts.
• Workplace Relevance: Content is tailored to common organizational challenges, making it immediately applicable. Case studies and framing exercises reflect real managerial dilemmas, enhancing engagement and retention.
• Beginner-Friendly Design: Concepts are introduced gradually with clear explanations and minimal jargon. This makes the course accessible to non-specialists and those without formal training in business or psychology.
• Free Access Model: Available to audit at no cost, the course lowers barriers to entry. Learners can explore content fully before deciding whether to pay for certification, increasing transparency and trust.

Honest Limitations

• Limited Depth in Advanced Methods: While the course covers essential frameworks, it doesn’t delve into complex modeling or data-driven decision techniques. Advanced learners may find the material too introductory for sophisticated use cases.
• Few Interactive Components: The course relies heavily on video lectures and readings, with minimal hands-on exercises or peer feedback. More interactivity could deepen skill application and learner engagement.
• Narrow Scope by Design: Focused exclusively on problem selection, it doesn’t cover implementation or change management. Learners seeking end-to-end problem-solving strategies may need to supplement with additional resources.
• Certificate Value Uncertain: While a certificate is offered, its recognition in the job market is limited compared to degree-credit or industry-recognized credentials. Career impact depends more on skill application than credential alone.

How to Get the Most Out of It

• Study cadence: Dedicate 3–4 hours per week to complete modules on time. Spacing out learning helps internalize concepts and apply them progressively to real decisions.
• Parallel project: Apply each framework to an actual work challenge. Documenting how tools reshape your approach reinforces learning and delivers immediate value.
• Note-taking: Use a decision journal to record problems evaluated, methods applied, and outcomes. This builds a personal reference for future high-stakes choices.
• Community: Engage in discussion forums to compare approaches with peers. Diverse perspectives reveal blind spots and enrich understanding of problem-framing nuances.
• Practice: Revisit past decisions and re-analyze them using course tools. This reflective practice strengthens critical thinking and reveals patterns in judgment errors.
• Consistency: Complete one module before moving to the next. The concepts build progressively, and skipping ahead may reduce comprehension of later decision frameworks.

Supplementary Resources

• Book: 'Thinking, Fast and Slow' by Daniel Kahneman complements the course by exploring cognitive biases in depth. It enhances understanding of intuitive vs. analytical thinking.
• Tool: Use free decision matrix templates in Google Sheets or Excel to practice scoring and comparing problems objectively across multiple criteria.
• Follow-up: Enroll in related courses like 'Critical Thinking for Better Judgment' or 'Strategic Leadership' to build on foundational decision-making skills.
• Reference: The Harvard Business Review’s guide to problem-solving offers real-world case studies that extend the practical application of course concepts.

Common Pitfalls

• Pitfall: Jumping to solutions before fully defining the problem. This course teaches the importance of slowing down to ask better questions and avoid misdiagnosis.
• Pitfall: Over-relying on intuition without structured analysis. Learners should balance gut feelings with frameworks to reduce decision errors in complex situations.
• Pitfall: Ignoring stakeholder perspectives when framing problems. Failing to consider who owns the problem can lead to resistance or ineffective solutions.

Time & Money ROI

• Time: At six weeks with 3–4 hours per week, the time investment is manageable and fits around full-time work. The return comes from faster, more accurate decisions long-term.
• Cost-to-value: Free to audit makes this a high-value resource. Even the paid certificate offers strong value for those needing formal recognition for professional development.
• Certificate: While not industry-standard, the credential demonstrates initiative in self-improvement. It’s best used to complement experience rather than as a standalone qualification.
• Alternative: Free podcasts or books can teach similar concepts, but this course provides structured learning, expert instruction, and accountability through deadlines.

Editorial Verdict

This course fills a critical gap in professional development by focusing on problem selection—a skill often overlooked in favor of solution execution. The University of Leeds delivers a well-organized, accessible curriculum that builds foundational decision-making abilities. Its emphasis on real-world application, cognitive awareness, and structured thinking makes it particularly valuable for early-career professionals and managers looking to improve judgment and efficiency. The free audit model further enhances accessibility, allowing learners to assess value before committing financially.

While it doesn’t replace advanced training in analytics or strategy, it serves as an excellent starting point for anyone overwhelmed by competing priorities. The lack of deep interactivity or advanced tools is a minor drawback, but the core content delivers outsized value for the time invested. We recommend this course to individuals seeking to think more clearly, act more strategically, and avoid the trap of solving the wrong problems. With consistent application, the frameworks taught here can lead to measurable improvements in both personal and professional decision-making.