The Decision Analysis Society (DAS) in partnership with the Society of Decision Professionals (SDP) invites you to join our May 2026 Webinar:
"Is It Approximate? Or Is It A Fundamentally Flawed Decision-Making Method? "
Featuring: Dr. Ali Abbas, University of Southern California, Moderator: Robin Dillon-Merrill, DAS-INFORMS
Wednesday, May 13, 2026
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM PT | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM ET
Link to register: https://www.decisionprofessionals.com/events/simple-registration?CalendarEventKey=bd2fb3d0-7aa0-4d4e-a38d-019d891f176e
All Members or Non-Member must register in advance to receive your Zoom link in the confirmation email.
Abstract: The impetus for this talk was the observation that (i) numerous decision-making methods-that violate fundamental principles of consistency-are still widely used in industry and the government, and are widely advocated in academic papers as well as news and media outlets. Furthermore, (ii) common misconceptions about expected utility theory, including the belief that it must be modified to reflect actual human behavior persist, as demonstrated by queries with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The objective of this talk is to help researchers, analysts, and practitioners distinguish between approximate and fundamentally flawed decision-making methods, especially when encountered in practice.
The talk will also feature accessible excerpts from the forthcoming book Advanced Topics in Decision Analysis by Howard and Abbas.
Dr. Ali Abbas is professor of industrial and systems engineering at the University of Southern California.
He is author, coauthor, and editor of numerous books including (i) Foundations of Decision Analysis, with Ronald A. Howard, (ii) Foundations of Multiattribute Utility, (iii) Next Generation Ethics, and (iv) Ethical Decision Quality: Building an Ethical Decision Culture.
He received the Decision Analysis Society Best Paper Award in 2011, the IEEE Systems Council Best Publication Award in 2019, and the Clemen-Kleinmuntz Best publication award in Decision Analysis in 2026. He has been involved in numerous high-stakes decisions including the analysis of TSA-Pre decisions with the Chief Risk Officer of the TSA.
Right after the webinar, SDP & DAS Members are invited to a 30-minute, members-only session designed to connect with fellow decision professionals, exchange ideas, and spark new conversations. Register Here: https://www.decisionprofessionals.com/events/event-description?CalendarEventKey=4dd5d8dc-a80f-4ab8-b3e0-019d8937fd9f&CommunityKey=fb95156a-a03d-4bbd-9aad-019369c6ee56&Home=%2fsdp-participate%2fevents
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Robin Dillon-Merrill
Professor
Georgetown University
Washington DC
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