Sound decision analysis is critical for the success of ditch companies.  We are all awash in huge amounts of information, and the problems and decisions facing ditch companies and their shareholders are complex.  Complex problems require complex thinking and problem solving techniques.  Unfortunately, decision makers in organizations may opt for a costly or inefficient back of the envelope approach when these problems seemingly become too complex to solve but this approach may add significantly to risk and reduce the likelihood of success, sustainability and profitability.

 Ditch companies with limited resources need to use efficient problem solving mechanisms and decision making tools that incorporate risk and uncertainty – just like real life.  The results of poor decision making at the ditch company level can have a profound impact on the ability of these companies to thrive, while large corporate or governmental entities can more easily survive incidents of poor judgment or unforeseen events.
 
  This interactive workshop will present a case study of a typical set of problems facing Colorado ditch companies.  The participants will break down the scenario into its components and learn how to evaluate different directions in which to take the problem.  These components will include identifying how many actual and potential disputes exist in the case study; what each player’s interest is in the scenario; how each player may analyze his best and worst outcomes in each of the actual or potential disputes; and how each might be resolved.  Throughout the case studies, the workshop presenters will introduce and explain economic, social, and psychological aspects within business organizations that often thwart an optimal decision making process.
 
  Participants in this workshop will learn how to think about and analyze risk; how risk analysis is carried out in leading companies around the world; and how to identify pitfalls and avoid traps along the decision making path.
  
 John McKenzie and Eve Triffo will team teach the workshop.  Eve is a retired California lawyer and is currently a consultant in Southern Colorado ( ), as well as a shareholder in the Canon City and Oil Creek Ditch Company, a member of the DARCA Board of Directors, the author of “Bylaws for Colorado Ditch Companies” available through DARCA, and a member of the executive committee for the Arkansas River Basin Water Forum.  John is the Executive Director of DARCA, a shareholder in the Boulder and White Rock Ditch and Reservoir Company, and has extensive experience, nationally and internationally, in economic data analysis, simulation, optimization and forecasting.