Develop criteria

Now that the ship has finally arrived in Berlin and I’ve taken over as project manager again, there are lots of decisions to be made. Of course, I’m seeking advice. But the strange thing is that you always get very different advice on the various issues. And it can vary quite a lot.

Take rust removal, for example.

I have asked several experienced people who have been fitting out and converting ships for years or even decades.

– Option 1: Don’t remove the rust at all. Just apply epoxy.
– Option 2: Standing beams.
– Option 3: Sand off all the rust by hand.

Everyone has good reasons for their opinion:

Option 1: You won’t have to worry about it rusting through. You don’t need to go to the trouble.

Option 2: This is the quickest and most thorough method.

Option 3: This is the most traditional method and causes the least damage to the metal – it is highly recommended, particularly for thin metal.

When I make decisions, I have a twofold task:

– To identify the values that underpin each person’s advice, or what is important to them: e.g. working cost-effectively, efficiency (no unnecessary effort), preserving traditions, working in a way that minimises wear and tear on materials, saving time, etc.

And then to ask myself: What are my values, my decision-making criteria?.

And then to decide: I’ll do this one this way. I’ll do that one differently.