Explore the chapter

↑ ↓ to explore Enter to open · Esc to close
HospitalityTeam Decision Making2 members

HTDM

Hospitality Services Team Decision Making

Two competitors solve a hospitality operations or strategy case for a hotel, resort, restaurant, or event venue. Cases test understanding of revenue management, guest experience design, operational efficiency, and service recovery.

Prep Time

30 min

With Judge

15 min

PI Source

Hospitality + BA Core

Team Size

2 members

Format

Team Case + Objective Test

Who Should Compete

Students drawn to hospitality management, event planning, hotel operations, or F&B management careers.

The Judge's Role

Panel of hospitality executives or operations directors

Competition Format

Event structure.

•

Preparation

30 min

Both team members receive the case study. Divide the analysis, identify the key problem and sub-issues, and build a cohesive recommendation. You may use the printed case and scratch paper provided.

•

Presentation

15 min

Present your analysis and solution to the judges panel. Split delivery evenly. Use clear structure: situation overview, alternatives considered, recommended solution, and implementation steps.

•

Q&A

5 min

Judges ask clarifying or challenge questions. Both members should be ready to answer any aspect of the case. Stay composed and defend your recommendations with data from the case.

Performance Indicators

What you'll be tested on.

•

Hospitality revenue management

•

Guest experience strategy

•

F&B and rooms division operations

•

Event and conference services

•

Staffing and labor management

•

Hospitality technology (PMS, RMS)

Browse all performance indicators

How to Prepare

Preparation framework.

01

Master PI lists for your cluster + BA Core

Both members should know all relevant PIs cold. Questions from judges often test PI knowledge directly.

02

Develop a team case-cracking framework

Agree on a shared structure: problem statement → root causes → alternatives (at least 2) → recommendation → implementation → metrics for success.

03

Practice splitting the presentation evenly

Each member must speak substantially. Assign sections, but both must understand the full case, judges direct questions to either member.

04

Work through past cases

Request sample cases from your advisor or use DECA's official resources. Time the 30-min prep and 15-min presentation.

05

Study together, take the objective test seriously

The objective test score is averaged, so a weak score from one member pulls both scores down.

Sample Scenario Themes

Representative topics.

Not official DECA scenarios, representative themes based on past competitions.

Developing a strategy to increase RevPAR at a midscale hotel

Redesigning a restaurant concept to boost profitability

Managing a service failure and brand reputation issue

Launching a corporate meetings and events sales strategy

Addressing staffing shortages in a peak season

Competition Tips

Notes from experienced competitors.

•

Know hospitality KPIs: RevPAR, ADR, occupancy, GOPPAR, NPS.

•

Judges appreciate a guest-centric perspective, always bring analysis back to the customer experience.

•

Be specific about implementation: timelines, cost estimates, and success metrics.

Ready to prep for HTDM?

Practice exams for Hospitality · Review Hospitality + BA Core performance indicators · Roleplay framework.