[crankin]

A Type 1 decision is a decision with high consequences if you get it wrong the results could be catastrophic. Alternatively a Type 2 decision has low consequences, if you get it wrong you can undo what you did and try again.

Let's say you're starting a new software project for your job. And it's up to you to decide what language/framework to build it. This would be a Type 1 decision, if after 6 months of development you realize you picked the wrong stack. It's going to be very difficult or impossible to go back on that decision. Alternatively within that project deciding where to place a button in the user interface is of low consequences. If you put it in the wrong place and realize conversions are down you can just undo it and put it in a better place.

For Type 1 decisions it's important to apply the scientific method. The purpose of which is to use facts to guide your decision and not your gut. Your hypothesis may be software framework X is best to build this project but you should do everything you can to disprove that with evidence. If you can't disprove it then you're probably making a good decision. If you find you have a lot of evidence it's a bad decision then you need to find another path.

You only need to apply scientific method to Type 1. For Type 2 / Low Consequence just make an educated guess or delegate to someone you trust to make the educated guess.