November 1, 2026 · Knowledge Management Made Simple
Imagine a firefighter facing an emergency.
Should they compare 47 possible solutions before acting?
Probably not!
Psychologist Gary Klein studied how experienced professionals make decisions under pressure.
His Recognition-Primed Decision model explains how experience helps us recognise situations and quickly identify promising actions.
Let’s explore three funny examples.
1. Oxana and the Burning Cake
Oxana walks into the kitchen.
She smells something strange.
“The cake!”
She immediately checks the oven.
Pavel looks confused.
“But the recipe says ten more minutes!”
“Apparently, the oven hasn’t read the recipe.”
What did we learn?
Oxana recognised a warning sign from experience.
Experts often notice familiar patterns before analysing every possible explanation.
2. The Website Emergency
Pavel’s website suddenly stops working.
“Should I restart the computer? Change the hosting? Buy another domain?”
Oxana asks:
“What changed just before the problem?”
“A plugin update.”
They check the update and test a possible solution safely.
The website works again!
“Excellent,” says Pavel. “I’ll cancel the new computer.”
What did we learn?
Experience helps identify a plausible solution. Experts can mentally evaluate what might happen before acting.
3. The Mysterious Delivery
A delivery driver recognises an address.
“I’ve been here before!”
He confidently approaches the house.
Oxana checks the package.
“Wrong street.”
“But the houses look identical!”
“Apparently, your experience needs glasses.”
What did we learn?
Pattern recognition isn’t infallible. When details don’t match, we must stop and reconsider.
The Big Idea
Klein’s model combines two abilities:
Recognition: Identify familiar patterns using experience.
Mental simulation: Imagine whether a possible action will work.
Experts may evaluate one promising option rather than compare dozens. If it appears unsuitable, they can revise or reject it.
Why This Matters for Knowledge Management
Documenting real experiences helps people recognise recurring situations.
Useful records should preserve warning signs, decisions, outcomes and lessons learned.
What About Artificial Intelligence?
AI can retrieve similar cases and suggest possible solutions.
But similarities aren’t proof. Context, expertise and verification remain essential.
Gary Klein’s Words
As Klein explains:
“people can use experience to generate a plausible option as the first one they consider.”
Source: Gary Klein, Recognition-Primed Decision Model, official author website.
Further reading: Sources of Power: How People Make Decisions, MIT Press, 1998.
The takeaway: Experience helps us recognise promising solutions quickly — but good judgment means checking whether they fit.
Because intuition is useful.
Until it delivers your pizza to the wrong house.
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