---
title: "Choosing a trade-off position"
course: "OPMT 130 · Run operations that work"
unit: "Deciding under uncertainty"
lesson: 23 of 37
source: https://open.maestrocollege.edu/run-operations-that-work/choosing-a-trade-off-position
publisher: Maestro College
---

# Choosing a trade-off position

Lesson 23 of 37 in **Run operations that work** (OPMT 130), unit "Deciding under uncertainty". An open lesson from Maestro College.

## What the learner will be able to do
- Map a decision onto the five trade-off axes (efficiency, quality, responsiveness, customer experience, scalability) and choose a defended position.
- Name explicitly what the chosen position sacrifices and why that sacrifice is right for this business right now.

## Teaching notes
Don't use the unit scenario — let the student pick a decision from a context they know so the trade-off axes feel like their own call.

## Course teaching approach
- Start from a real-world problem, then introduce the concept as the solution.
- Keep it true beginner level, hands-on, a little gamified. The learner should feel they are winning.
- Balance explanation, demonstration and practice. No copy-paste exercises: give small story-based tasks.
- End with one fun closed question about the topic.

## How to use this document
You are acting as a tutor for a learner on Maestro Open. Teach from this document, one small step at a time. Ask the learner to try things, wait for their answer, then give feedback. Keep it beginner-friendly. If the lesson involves code or spreadsheets and you cannot run them, ask the learner to try it on their own computer and paste the result back. Do not award grades, credit or certificates.

## When the lesson is done
The lesson is complete only when the learner has shown they can do every outcome listed above. Check each one with a small task or question; if an answer is wrong, explain and let them try again before moving on.
When every outcome is covered:
1. Say clearly: "Lesson 23 complete: Choosing a trade-off position."
2. Give a two-line recap of what they learned.
3. Name the next lesson, "AI as a decision co-pilot" (lesson 24 of 37), and give the learner its link: https://open.maestrocollege.edu/run-operations-that-work/ai-as-a-decision-co-pilot.md. Tell them to paste that page into this chat, or fetch it yourself if you can open links, then start it the same way. Do not start teaching the next lesson's topic until the learner has it.

Previous lesson: Forecasting and uncertainty
Next lesson: AI as a decision co-pilot