Too Many Choices
Too many choices shut people down.
Have you checked out the cereal section in a grocery store lately? At my nearby Ralphs, there are 242 different cold cereals. (I counted them, which means I must not have enough to do and which also means there’s a margin of error of plus or minus 10%.)
Two hundred and forty-two cold cereals to choose from.
There are nine types of Cheerios. Count ‘em. Nine. And that doesn’t include “toasted o’s” or “oatie o’s” or any of the other lameola generic knock-offs.
And just about every aisle presents a similar variety of products.
To add a bit more detail, I was going to count how many types shampoos Ralphs stocks, but there were more than I expected and I thought that counting them all just too pathetic. So you’ll have to trust me on this: there were at least 75 different shampoos.
Whether we’re looking for a long-distance carrier, restaurant, accountant, or solution to a long-standing problem, the same thing applies — too many choices.
You might think that all these choices would be a good thing, but think again. Too many choices shut us down. People who study these things — there’s a great article in yesterday’s LA Times about it — site three problems with what’s called “decision fatigue.” When we’re given too many choices
- We made bad decisions,
- We avoid making decisions altogether, or
- We regret the decisions we make.
Here’s my take-away for speakers and presenters. When you want people to make a decision, limit their options. Don’t give them ten choices. Give them two, maybe three. No more.
Photo courtesy of Rex Roof at Flickr.
Tags: limit options, too many choices
March 17th, 2009 at 10:25 pm
Hey Chris
I’m wondering rather than limiting choices, we can strongly recommend one or two of those choices?
I get a bit horsey-nervous about how to limit choices and still be honest.
I think the place where limiting choices would really be pertinent is on presentation slides - only give me ONE choice as to what to look at!
(I’m sitting in an IT conference right now… Hmmm….)
March 19th, 2009 at 9:30 am
Andrew,
This may be the first time you and I disagree, although I’m not sure we’re talking about the same situations.
I do agree with you about limiting what gets put on a slide.
If I were talking about how people might approach something — like how to start a speech — I’d give them numerous options. I might list and describe as many as 7 to 9 ways, figuring each person could choose the 2 or 3 ways that would work best for them.
If I were making a report — say I’ve been given the task of investigating possible solutions to a problem — I’d list all the solutions I found and describe their strengths and weaknesses. Depending on my role, my expertise, and the purpose of the meeting, I might priotize those solutions and make a recommendation.
If I were responsible for moving the group to a decision and if I had the expertise, knowledge, and authority, I would limit the options I presented. (I would, given the chance, talk to the major players in the room in the days or weeks before the presentation to get their input and to begin influencing them.) During the presentation I would say something like, “Of the various options I’ve researched, I’m going to present the two or three that I think are the most viable…” I’d be ready to discuss during the Q&A what other options I eliminated and why. And I would, futhermore, be fairly likely to recommend or even strongly advocate for one of the options.
In such a situation I think that presenting all the possible options would keep the group from coming to a decision.
Agree? Disagree?
March 20th, 2009 at 1:57 am
Agree.
March 20th, 2009 at 11:50 am
Chris,
Hey, man, you just caused me to re-do my next post which was to be about “too many choices”!
I can only figure we’re on the “great minds…” track.
You are dead-on about decision fatigue and the conundrum posed by too many choices. Andrew, it sounds as if you have an admirable sense of integrity regarding the issue. Kudos! One way to honor your participants in such decision-making meetings is to say: “Here are the 3 top choices based on the criteria used.” Then continue with the decision. If, in fact, you have the right people in the room and option #5 is actually the best one, that fact will emerge in the conversation and you can address it.
BTW: The most difficult choices to facilitate are either/or choices. While they are certainly limiting, they spark an inherent human tendency toward, “Oh, there has to be something more than either/or.” Three is a mystical number for lots of reasons, and one that most of us respond to favorably.
Here’s to a good weekend to you both…
March 23rd, 2009 at 1:54 pm
Steve,
Thanks for your addition. I hadn’t thought of the problem raised by presenting an either/or choice, but it sounds right. I think either/or sets the stage for conflict, pitting one option against another. Maybe that’s why we want to think of another way.
Lover of paradox that I am, I try to opt for both/and.
Best, Chris