Problem formulation for multi‐criteria decision analysis: report of a workshop

Abstract

This paper reports on a workshop on Problem Formulation in Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis held at SPUDM97. The focus of the workshop was the problem formulation phase which occurs between the analyst meeting a person with a 'mess' and the time he or she begins to analyse a structured problem with several alternatives scored against several attributes or criteria. The objectives were: to share experience on procedures which might be transferable between the methodologies; to demonstrate different skills used by the analyst in structuring decision problems; and to catalyse a discussion on the problem formulation phase of an analysis.Three analysts, who generally approach problems using multiattribute methods, addressed the same problem. The problem used was constructed to be realistic to three decision makers, who had been trained in the issues of concern. There were two sessions. Each analyst was assigned a decision maker and formulated the problem independently in the first session, held in parallel. They were each observed by two observers and many of the audience at the workshop. The three formulations were presented along with the comments of the observers and discussed at a second plenary session. This paper reports the three formulations and observations, remarking on the 'tricks of the trade' employed by the analysts in formulating the problem. The analysts also describe their thinking and their aims in adopting their approach and style of interaction. More general remarks on the process of decision analysis are also offered.

Multi‐attribute Contractors Ranking Method by Applying Ordering of Feasible Alternatives of Solutions in Terms of Preferability Technique / Daugiatikslis Rangovų Parinkimo Metodas Taikant Įmanomų Sprendinių Alternatyvų Rangavimo Prioriteto Požiūriu Būdą

“…Multi-attribute decision-making is defined by processes that involve designing the best alternative or selecting the best one from a set of alternatives, that has the most attractive overall attributes, and that involves the selection of the optimal alternative, handled via preference models (Sage 1977;Bui 1987;Chankong and Haimes 1983;French et al 1998;Hwang and Lin 1987;and Hwang and Yoon 1981). Multi-attribute decision-making can be classified as follows: a) Multi-attribute decision-making (MADM) for the sorting or the ranking of alternatives according to several attributes, and b) Multi-objective decision-making (MODM), for driving a vector optimization-based design process to a solution (Colson and Bruyn 1989).…”

Avaliação ambiental estratégica e auxílio multicritério à decisão

“… Capacidade de definir e evidenciar a responsabilidade do "decisor" e melhorar a transparência do processo de decisão (SOARES, 2003); A etapa de Estruturação é necessária para transformar um conjunto de questões e preocupações em um problema de decisão estruturado, com a identificação de diversas alternativas de solução e critérios para avaliação de cada uma (FRENCH et al, 1998). Ou seja, é uma fase de análise do sistema em estudo, onde é realizada a identificação e a caracterização dos principais atores envolvidos no problema de decisão e de seus objetivos, com a proposição de alternativas potenciais, as quais serão comparadas em termos dos méritos e desvantagens relativas através de um conjunto de critérios de avaliação definidos de acordo com os pontos de vista dos atores.…”

“…2001),Dodgson et al (2009),Belton e Stewart (2002),French et al (1998) e Franco e Montibeller (2009), é possível sugerir as seguintes atividades a serem desenvolvidas no âmbito da etapa de Estruturação: Identificação da situação de decisão, caracterização do contexto decisório, definição dos objetivos fundamentais dos atores, especificação dos atributos e elaboração das alternativas.…”