Title: Effective problem and crisis management - FAST© and the six interaction rules

Authors: Robert Heath

Addresses: Crisis Corp Ltd, Chesham House, 150 Regent Street, London, W1R 5FA, England, UK

Abstract: Much attention over the last 20 years has been placed on tracing how effective decisions have been (and can be) made. In problem and crisis situations, this attention has included ||backward mapping|| and situational awareness. Approaches for operating in active problem and crisis situations have also been proposed. These approaches include Crew Resource Management, Recognition-Primed Decision Making, and Method of Tactical Reasoning. Some practitioners point to generalised concepts such as considering the worst scenario, ||fact finding, analysis, damage control, and communication||, and Crisisthink. In many cases, however, users appear to need to learn strategies or tactics that need adaptive application or lose outcome focus. Consequently, there exists a need for simple rule-based guidelines to thinking and managing in any problem and crisis situations. This paper outlines a focused formula for targeted option development called FAST, and six interactive focus ||rules|| that increase situation awareness and provide guidelines for more effective option formation and selection. These rules are to; 1 Work from the Worst case, 2 Deal with Definite facts, 3 Limit Losses, 4 Dig for Disconfirmation, 5 Manage the Manageable, and 6 Form FAST© options.

Keywords: crisis management; decision making; situation awareness; option processing; FAST©.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEM.2001.000509

International Journal of Emergency Management, 2001 Vol.1 No.1, pp.49-60

Published online: 18 Jul 2003 *

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