Ask a Decision Engineer

Even the smartest people can get tied into knots when making big decisions. Get the tools to move through decisions with less stress and more clarity. Join Stanford Decision Engineer and Coach Michelle Florendo for a comprehensive and systematic way of untangling every decision - no matter how big or small.New to the podcast? - Dip into Season 1 for why this podcast exists and the first few pilot season episodes- Binge Season 2 for tips on how to untangle an upcoming big decision- Check out Season 3 for how to navigate emotions in the decision process- Season 4 brings you insights from experts in the field who have influenced my work- Season 5 is airing Fall 2025.For more about Michelle's work, visit https://www.poweredbydecisions.com

Ask a Decision Engineer is a education podcast hosted by Michelle Florendo, with 52 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Michelle Florendo hosts Ask a Decision Engineer, a education show with 52 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #6

  S6E06 | What is the Society of Decision Professionals (SDP)?

  Jul 9, 202517 minS6

  <p>"At the heart of a company is the quality of its decisions. And it's rare that leadership programs teach you how to be a better decision maker." — SDP Conference Attendee</p><p>Whether you're a CEO making strategic decisions, a data scientist analyzing choices, or someone navigating personal decisions, the field of decision-making offers structured approaches that can be scaled up or down for any situation.</p><h2>S5E5 | What is SDP?</h2><p>This episode takes listeners inside the world of professional decision-making through Michelle's firsthand exploration of the Society of Decision Professionals conference. Through interviews with me...

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  Episode #5

  S6E05 | Who else benefits from Decision Science?

  Jul 2, 202518 minS6

  <p>"On some level everybody should learn this stuff. When you think about the fundamental principles underlying this, like ideas like that decisions and outcomes are not the same thing... those are things that could benefit everybody." — Jordan Stephens</p><p>From boardrooms to family dinner tables, decisions shape every aspect of our lives. Yet formal decision-making education remains surprisingly rare. In this thought-provoking episode, Michelle explores who stands to benefit most from learning structured approaches to decision-making, revealing that the answer might be simpler than expected: everyone.</p><h2>S6E5 | Who else benefits from Decision Science?</h2><p>Dr...

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  Episode #4

  S6E04 | How is Decision Science applied? (Part 2: Power Skills)

  Jun 25, 202523 minS6

  <p>"I tend to be more quantitative, just that's the way I'm wired. And one of the things that I'm seeing and I've learned through the years is that the qualitative side, the so-called soft skills, or as Audrey calls them power skills... honestly… I think they're more important than a lot of the quantitative and statistical skills." – Tony Kenck</p><p>While decision analysis is often viewed through a technical lens, there's another equally important dimension: the human side. This episode explores how decision frameworks create space for better collaboration, more inclusive conversations, and greater confidence in our choices.</p><h...

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  Episode #3

  S6E03 | How and where is Decision Science applied?

  Jun 18, 202520 minS6

  <p>"It's so fascinating to watch people struggle and struggle and struggle. And then you can come along with some simple tools to say, Hey, have you thought about this? Did you think of framing it this way? I've got a couple of little tricks in my large bag of tips and tricks that you can try and sometimes the magic happens and what looked like an impossibly complex decision simplifies, and then doing the right thing becomes obvious." — Basil Stumborg</p><p>This episode showcases the real-world impact of decision analysis across diverse industries and applications, demonstrating how structured th...

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  Episode #2

  S6E02 | What is Decision Engineering? Exploring the Many Names of Decision Science

  Jun 11, 202515 minS6

  <p>This season was made possible in partnership with the Society of Decision Professionals.<br />__________</p><p>In this episode of Ask a Decision Engineer, Michelle Florendo takes listeners inside the Society of Decision Professionals conference to explore a fascinating question: What do you call the field that helps people make better decisions? Through conversations with practitioners from around the world, Michelle uncovers the many names this discipline goes by—decision analysis, decision science, decision quality, structured decision making—and why the terminology matters. From pharmaceutical companies to natural resources management, these professionals share their perspectives on a field that's been...

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