decision table

Friendly

Word: Decision Table

Part of Speech: Noun

Definition: A decision table is a tool used to display different choices (or decisions) and the possible outcomes for each choice. It helps people see all their options and what will happen based on those options. You can think of it as a chart that helps in making decisions by showing all the possibilities and actions to take for each situation.

Usage Instructions:

• Decision tables are often used in business, programming, and project management to clarify complex decisions.
• To create a decision table, list all possible conditions (the situations) in one column and the related actions (what you will do) in another column.

Example:

Imagine you are planning an event and you need to decide whether to hold it indoors or outdoors based on the weather. You could create a decision table like this:

Advanced Usage:

In advanced fields like software development, decision tables help programmers outline the logic of a program. For example, they can be used to represent rules in a system where different inputs lead to different outputs.

Word Variants:

• Decision (noun): The act of making a choice.
• Table (noun): A set of data arranged in rows and columns.

Different Meanings:

• Decision generally means making a choice between two or more options.
• Table can refer to furniture (a piece of furniture with a flat top and legs) or a way to organize information (like in a decision table).

Synonyms:

• Decision matrix
• Choice table
• Options chart

Related Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

• "Weigh your options": To consider the different choices before making a decision.
• "Cross that bridge when you come to it": Don’t worry about a problem until it arises; focus on the current decisions.

Summary:

A decision table is a helpful tool for organizing choices and outcomes to make better decisions.

Academic

Noun

1. a table of all contingencies and the actions to be taken for each