Career & Communication · 55 sec
Separate Facts, Interpretations and Decisions
Teams often argue because these categories are mixed together.
The useful idea
- Understand
A fact is observed evidence that can be checked against a source.
- Connect
An interpretation explains what the evidence might mean and can differ between reasonable people.
- Apply
A decision selects an action after considering facts, interpretations, values, and constraints.
Why this matters
Disagreement becomes easier to locate when observation, meaning, and action are labeled separately.
Try this
Label meeting notes under Facts, Interpretations, and Decisions.
Test your recall
Which action best applies “Separate Facts, Interpretations and Decisions”?
- Label meeting notes under Facts, Interpretations, and Decisions. — correct
- Record important decisions in five lines or fewer.
- Map task dependencies, identify the current critical path, and review it whenever constraints change.
Disagreement becomes easier to locate when observation, meaning, and action are labeled separately.