DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.

The purpose of this course was to consider socio-technological issues that may impact the decision making process in the real world of technology.  It is necessary when making decisions related to technology to consider the social, political, economic, legal, behavioral, and ethical aspects; not just the pure technical aspects.  Every question related to technology tends to include multiple characteristics or criteria that need to be considered and weighed.  What criteria are most important in the decision making process and analysis? Which of several possible alternatives offers the most of these criteria? 

 

There are many models that suggest ways to make these kinds of decisions.  We looked at quantitative models such as risk assessment and cost-benefit analysis.  We learned about decision trees and how to consider the probability of various outcomes.  We discussed the dynamics of group decision making.  In our final paper we used a multi criteria decision analysis to make a decision about a socio-technological problem of our own choosing.

 

I believe that what I learned in this class will be extremely useful when needing to make a decision related to technology.

DRAFT: This module has unpublished changes.