4 steps to a good decision

The ACIP Decision Making Process

A simple, science-based way to make a good decision

Choosing a career path, making a career decision, or deciding on a college major - all are critical decisions. They demand a high-quality decision making process.

Scientific studies show that there are four essential steps you will want to follow.  They are abbreviated ACIP, like “a sip” of tea!

A stands for Alternatives.

When making an important decision, look at all your choices. Ask yourself, "Are there any other ways I can solve this problem? Ways that I haven't thought of?"

C stands for Consequences.

Once you have narrowed down your choices to those that look best, weigh the pros and cons of each. Download a Decision Balance Sheet and fill out one for each option.

I stands for Information.

Search for new information about each option you are considering.

P means Plans. 

Make detailed plans for (a) how you will carry out your decision, and (b) what you will do if one of the negative consequences that you thought of occurs.

Dr. Jones shares step by step instructions

Join Career Key’s founder Dr. Larry Jones as he walks you through the ACIP 4 step decision making process.

Using himself, Dr. Jones gives a real example of how to use ACIP and the balance sheet to make an important decision.

 Alternatives: Explore Your Options

  1. Freely explore all of your options.
    If it’s a career decision, taking the Career Key Discovery assessment is a good way to do this. You will identify occupations that match your personality, ones you want to explore.

    For example, if you identify "Optometrist", you would learn of other "Related Occupations". These include chiropractors, dentists, physicians, psychologists, and veterinarians. These "related" jobs might be good alternatives for you. You will likely want to learn more about them.

    If you are choosing a college major, Career Key Discovery will also identify college majors and training programs that match your personality. A complete list of college majors and training programs in the U.S. and Canada, organized by personality and workgroups, is also found in our e-book, Match Up! Your Personality to College Majors. You will find many interesting college majors – good possibilities to explore further.

  2. Seek advice from others.
    Ask them for suggestions. Go beyond your immediate friends. Brainstorm. Be imaginative, "Who might have some good ideas?"

  3. Read our articles on exploring careers and college majors.
    They have valuable, practical tips on ways to expand your options. For example, read Learn More about Career Options that Interest Me and Learn about Majors and Education Programs. Many of the suggested activities will help you expand your options.

  4. Consider how you are thinking about your decision.
    Can you think about it differently? For example, instead of focusing on a long-term decision, like "What career should I choose?", it might be better to put that decision off until later, when you know more. Instead, you might want to focus on a short-term decision like, "What course/major/training program best fits me?"

Consequences of Your Decision - use a Decision Balance Sheet

Once you narrow your alternatives down to those that seem best, weigh the pros and cons of each. There are four types of consequences to consider. For each option, create a "Decision Balance Sheet.” Download a blank one we created for you.

Write down:

  1. The gains and losses to your self

  2. The gains and losses to significant others (e.g., parents, spouse, partner, other family members, close friends, or groups you value: social, political or religious)

  3. Whether you would approve or disapprove of yourself, if you chose this job or college major

  4. Whether important people (see #2 above) in your life would approve or disapprove of your choice

It is important to think of all of the possible consequences, negative or positive. First, before you start making your own Decision Balance Sheets, read the career choice consequences below. This will help you identify the pros and cons for each occupation you are considering.

Potential Gains or Losses for Self or Significant Others *

  • Time available to be with family

  • Job security

  • Income

  • Job stress

  • Do things that I enjoy

  • Work hazards

  • Flexible hours

  • Geographical location

  • Benefits like health insurance

  • Time for leisure activities

  • Do the things that I value

  • Travel

  • Associate with people I like to be with

  • Part-time or full time work

  • Social status

Potential Sources of Approval or Disapproval from Self or Significant Others *

  • Contributions to society or good causes

  • Opportunity to fulfill life goals

  • How well you can meet the demands of the job

  • Extent to which you must compromise your principles

  • Extent to which work is "more than just a job"

  • Ability to which you can meet financial goals

  • Extent to which you can rise to a certain level of social status or material wealth

  • Opportunity to express your creativity

  • Extent to which you can accomplish what you value

* "Significant Others" includes parents, partner, spouse, other family members, close friends

Now, you are ready to download a blank Decision Balance Sheet. Open it and print a copy for each of the occupations or options you are considering.

Actively Search for Information

In this step, you will search for more information about the alternatives you are considering. You’ll find new information you can add to your "Decision Balance Sheets" -- new facts that support or change the pros and cons you wrote down.

To illustrate with a career-college major decision, one of Lisa's options was school librarian, which she was leaning toward it as her choice. She had read about it in two books and thought she knew quite a bit about it. Even though she felt awkward asking for an interview, she decided to make the extra effort to talk to two school librarians. She was glad she did because she learned a great deal. For example, she discovered that their jobs were far more stressful than she had imagined, like managing the behavior of a class of 25 students in the library. And, at the elementary school level, librarians were expected to teach and supervise classes of students for most periods of the day.

Lisa's experience shows how important it is to actively search for new information, especially for those career or college major options you favor.

For tips on getting more information about an occupation,

To learn about college majors,

Plans: Make Two Kinds

Once you have made a choice, it's time to plan. You want to be able to answer "Yes" to two questions:

First, "Have you made detailed plans for putting your choice into action?"

You want to write out any actions you need to do. For example, how will you learn the knowledge and skills required for the career you have chosen? Set goals. Think through the steps you will take, and dates by which you plan to accomplish them.

Second, "Have you made plans for how you will handle any of the negative consequences that might arise from your choice?"

Studies show that if you think through how you will handle these possible negative consequences, you will be better able to handle them later.

We know, for example, that when people are offered a job and are told about the "bad" features of the job before they decide to take it, they are more likely to be successful and satisfied than if they are not told. The same is true for medical decisions. If patients consider the possible unpleasant effects of choosing a painful treatment like surgery, they are better able to handle them later. So, review the "losses" or "disapproval" you have noted on your "Decision Balance Sheet" for the choice you have made and plan accordingly.