One of the most important tools we employ is skill mapping. Skill mapping allows us to visualize the structure and content of reasoning simultaneously.
We have used skill mapping to:
construct detailed maps of the skill structure of individual skill domains;
illustrate the pathways through which expert skills are typically acquired;
compare the reasoning of different individuals; and
compare pre- and post- instruction reasoning within individuals.
For example, the map below shows some of the skills of the decision-making domain. The turquoise boxes represent the first level of the decision-making hierarchy—its most general or encompassing level. The yellow boxes (second level) unpack the broad skills represented at the first level, and the blue boxes (third level) elaborate the concepts of the second level. A fully elaborated map of the decision-making domain was used to guide the development of a three phase decision-making curriculum for government managers.
The curricula developed with the aid of the decision-making skill map were later evaluated by examining the pre- and post-instruction decision-making strategies of students. The following two maps show pre- and post-instruction maps of the decision-making process described by an entry level manager working in a federal agency:
Finally, the following map illustrates a highly developed decision-making approach advocated by a senior executive:
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