Introduction
Choosing the best social networking tool requires a decision process. The paper highlights the cognitive process that will assist one to select the best networking tool based on different alternatives. The steps followed incorporate output of the planning stage decision making that precedes the actual decision making exercise.
Issue Identification
Making a Decision
Social networking tools have different features, and thus, one ought to choose a tool that is easy to navigate and customize. In addition, the tool should offer maximum benefits and have minimal consequences (Boyd & Ellison, 2007, p.1).
Goals to be achieved
The tool should offer opportunities to add friends in an extensive physical social layer. Additionally, the tool should be an entity of reciprocal altruism and gift economy, and ensure privacy and protection of clandestine information.
Issue Analysis
Causes of decision paralysis
Decision paralysis occurs because many people do not understand how social tools operate. Another issue that causes decision paralysis is the several tools that have similar functionality—making it hard to choose.
Cognitive and personal biases
Depending on the physical appearance of the tool, many people tend to lean to the one that pleases their eyes without considering its functionality. Peer influence and the number of people within an age group can influence somebody to select a tool.
Develop Alternatives
Choosing one tool over another
Choosing one tool over another is not an easy task. Nevertheless, people choose tools that best suit their needs. Moreover, the tool should serve the intended purpose like data protection and privacy.
Not choosing any of the tools
Certain factors can cause a barren choice of a tool. This dilemma does not eliminate the existing problem. Consequently, a barren choice does not mean a cut of costs, but rather, an opportunity to revisit the decision.
Evaluate Alternatives
Rating of each alternative
It is better to explore each tool, analyze the benefits of each tool before making a decision. Even though people choose certain tools as the preferred ones, they still want to explore their decisions to establish opportunity cost.
Rating of the risk posed by each alternative
In the decision process, risks are rife. One might choose a tool only to find that it does not serve the intended purpose. Thus, it is better to rate every risk posed by each alternative and in order to establish how it might affect the outcome.
Decision
Using Optimizing Strategy
The optimizing strategy enables one to choose a tool that would give results and enable realization of objectives. Under this strategy, only allow a barren choice when the tool offers low utility threshold. Lastly, the tool chosen must meet all conditions of the criterion.
Using Max-min strategy
Sometimes, limited technology can hinder the decision process. However, it is important to note that a barren choice will suffice the decision process. When costs and implications outweigh the benefits of the tool, then, go for a barren choice.
Implementation Plan
Decision actions
Compare the pros and cons of the tool before taking any decision bearing in mind that the pros must outweigh the cons in order to eliminate chances of a dilemma occurring. In case one fails to choose a tool, then repeat the process again.
Additional actions to prevent adverse consequences
The best way to arrive at the best social networking tool is first, understanding how the tools work and then weighing the pros and cons with ease. It is also important to make a decision once for all in order to refute any future regrets. Otherwise, a flurry of decision strategies serves to bring confusion that will cause decision paralysis (Mackaay, 1990, pp. 867-910).
Review Plan
Risks and drawbacks involved
One must understand that the prevailing status quo may change. In addition, the chosen tool will definitely be missing some benefits owned by the other tools. Furthermore, although the tool chosen meets the objectives, it may not necessarily evade personal biases hence, rendering it unpleasant.
Why benefits outweigh risks
The choice, and not the status quo, is the paramount thing in selecting a tool. The pre-eminence of the tool in fulfilling the objectives at a manageable cost takes priority. Additionally, a person can sacrifice personal biases by conditioning sessions in order to choose the best tool.
Conclusion
The very many social networking tools make the decision process of choosing the best tool cumbersome. Nevertheless, a good decision process will always lead to the best social networking tool. From identifying the issue to reviewing of decisions, one finds how involving the task is. The scrutiny of various alternatives enables the decision-maker to make an informed choice—on that meets the objectives of the entire process (Harris, 2009, p.1).
Reference List
Boyd, D. & Ellison, N. (2007). Social Network Sites: Definition, History, and Scholarship. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 13(1), 1.
Harris, R. (2009). Introduction to decision making. Virtual Salt. Retrieved from https://www.virtualsalt.com/crebook5.htm
Mackaay, E. (1990). Economic Incentives in Markets for Information and Innovation. Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy, 13(909), 867–910.