In a decision aiding context, knowing the preferences of the Decision Maker (DM) and determining weights of criteria are very hard questions. Several methods can be used to give an appropriate value to the weights of criteria. J. Simos proposed a very simple procedure, using a set of cards, allowing to determine indirectly numerical values for weights. The purpose of this paper is first to explain why the above method needs to be revised, and second, the revised version we propose. This new version takes into account a new kind of information from the DM and changes certain computing rules of the former method. A software has been implemented based on the revised Simos' procedure whose main features are presented in this paper. The new method has been applied to different real-life cases (public transportation problems, water resources problems, environment problems, etc); it proved to be successful.

We present main characteristics of ELECTRE (ELimination Et Choix Traduisant la REalité ‐ ELimination and Choice Expressing the REality) family methods, designed for multiple criteria decision aiding. These methods use as a preference model an outranking relation on the set of actions—it is constructed in result of concordance and nondiscordance tests involving a specific input preference information. After a brief description of the constructivist conception in which the ELECTRE methods are inserted, we present the main features of these methods. We discuss such characteristic features as the possibility of taking into account positive and negative reasons in the modelling of preferences, without requiring commensurable performance scales; the use of discriminating thresholds for taking into account the imperfect knowledge of data; the absence of systematic compensation between ‘gains’ and ‘losses’. The main weaknesses are also presented. Then, some aspects related to new developments are outlined. These are related to some new methodological developments, new procedures, axiomatic analysis, software tools and several other aspects. This paper is an updated version of a chapter published by the authors under the title ‘Electre Methods: Main Features and Recent Developments’ in C. Zopounidis and P. Pardalos (Editors): Handbook of Multicriteria Analysis, Springer, Berlin 2010, pp. 51–89. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Stochastic multicriteria acceptability analysis (SMAA) comprises a family of multiple criteria decision-aiding (MCDA) methods for problems including incomplete, imprecise, and uncertain information. Methods of the family allow solving MCDA problems of various types. Even though the methods have been applied in the past in various real-life decision-making situations, the structure of a unified SMAA framework has not been studied. In this paper we describe the methods of the family and define a unified SMAA framework. We also point out the key points in the methodology for future research.