Scenario-Based Examples

Company (Financially Responsible)

1. Vendor Selection Two hardware vendors bid. Vendor A is 5% cheaper now but has a shaky track record. Vendor B costs more but offers long‑term warranty and support.

   • Decision: Choose Vendor B for lower total cost of ownership—fair to company’s budget and uptime.

2. Budget Reallocation Mid‑year you need to cut costs. Marketing suggests trimming IT training; IT suggests cutting new software trials.

   • Decision: Protect core training (avoiding skill gaps) and postpone non‑critical trials—balances risk and ROI.

3. Project Scope Change A client asks for an unbudgeted feature on an urgent timeline.

   • Decision: Analyze additional hours vs. profitability. If margin falls below threshold, negotiate a change‑order fee—preserves company health.

Employee (Supportively Equitable)

1. Workload Overflow A teammate is juggling three high‑priority tickets in one day. No policy says you can’t reassign.

   • Decision: Offload the least urgent item to another team member—fair share of work.

2. Training Requests An employee wants a pricey certification. Budget is limited.

   Decision: Offer partial sponsorship plus time off to study. Or find a lower‑cost alternative—supports growth without breaking bank.

3. Shift Coverage A technician must cover weekend on‑call. Another volunteer doesn’t mind—but it leaves someone else unloaded.

   Decision: Rotate weekend assignments equally over the quarter—ensures no one’s always on call.

Client (Transparently Honest)

1. Missed Deadline You discover a delay on deliverables. No SLA covers this exact scenario.

   Decision: Tell the client immediately, explain why, propose a new ETA—builds trust.

2. Scope Creep A client keeps adding small tasks beyond the original quote.

   Decision: Present an itemized list of extras and request approval or a revised quote—clear boundaries.

3. Quality Trade‑Off A critical bug arises days before go‑live. You can ship on time with a patch later, or delay launch for full fix.

   Decision: Discuss risks with the client and let them choose—gives them agency and transparency.

Environment (Sustainably Conscious)

1. Server Provisioning A project needs extra VMs for testing. Spinning up 10 for a week vs. reusing existing ones…

   Decision: Reuse or time‑box new VMs and shut them off when unused—cuts energy usage.

2. Office Supplies You’re ordering printer cartridges and binders.

   Decision: Choose remanufactured cartridges and recycled‑paper binders—reduces landfill waste.

3. E‑waste Disposal Old laptops need replacement. No internal policy on disposal.

   Decision: Partner with an e‑waste recycler that certifies safe data destruction—lowers environmental harm.