Formulating Strategy in the Pod
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Formulating Strategy in the Pod An Application of Decision Con ferencing at Weiwyn Hatfield District Council
Chris Marples and David Riddle
determination of a plan required resolution of complex and interlinking issues. While there was no pressing urgency, determination of a robust, justifiable plan was important. Leading members wanted the time to focus in depth on the issues, to satisfy themselves that all of the
Decision Con ferencing is a methodology which aims to improve the efficiency and outcomes of meetings which are called to address strategic issues. This article describes one particular Decision Conference involving elected members and officers of Welwyn Hatfield District Council, at a point in time when fundamental changes
council's options were systematically identified and
were required concerning financial and service level
evaluated, and to establish the basis for trade offs between objectives. That is where Decision Conferencing
strategies for a four-year period.
came in.
Late in 1988 the political leadership of Weiwyn Hatfield District Council took time out with the management team for an intensive discussion on the Council's strategy. It was the first time that Welwyn Hatfield had dedicated a full two day meeting to a single issue. Furthermore, the Council chose to use for the meeting an innovative prob-
Weiwyn Hatfield's Chief Executive, Mr. David Riddle, had
been introduced to Decision Conferencing by ICL, the Council's principal computer supplier, in 1987, and he had felt that it might have a lot to offer in the appropriate circumstances. He now recommended its use to address Welwyn Hatfield's needs.
lem solving methodology called Decision Conferencing.
Only the Leader of the Council accepted the idea with enthusiasm; other members were sceptical, feeling that the introduction of unfamiliar computer technology and a facilitator who knew little of Welwyn Hatfield or of the situation, were unlikely to bring about improvements in the decision process. None the less, the two day confer-
The impetus for this event was as follows. Earlier in the year, the council had carried out a wide ranging review of its organisation and management arrangements. Following this, the management team had presented a paper on strategic options to members in September identifying a number of issues which needed careful discussion by the political leadership.
ence came about one weekend in October 1988.
Council members could see that the traditional approach
Decision Conferencing
to budgeting, involving a year by year incremental
change, could no longer be maintained. Government policies such as the community charge, changes in
Conceived in the USA in the '70s, Decision Conferencing was introduced to Europe in 1981 through the Decision
revenue support grant, and capital controls were going to have dramatic effect on the setting of a financial strategy and a medium term service strategy. On this occasion,
Copyright
1992 Operational Research Society
Analysis Unit of the London School of Economics. C
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