LaQuan must buy a new office copier. He lists the features the copier must have and his budget. Which step of the decision-making process does this represent?

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This step centers on identifying decision criteria. By listing the features the copier must have and setting a budget, LaQuan is specifying what will matter in the choice—what performance or capabilities are essential and what cost is acceptable. These criteria create the standards used to judge and compare potential copiers later, shaping which options would be considered viable.

Once the criteria are clear, the next move would be to develop alternatives—different copier models that could meet those requirements—and then evaluate them against the criteria. Recognizing a problem would be about noting that a replacement is needed, not about specifying what will count as a good choice. Satisficing comes later, when he chooses the first option that meets the criteria rather than seeking the absolute best.