Multiple-attribute decision analysis

Competency Group: Business

Type: Process

Description: Multiple-attribute decision analysis is used to identify ideal choices out of a set of alternatives. The purpose is to support decision makers facing multipronged problems. Usually there isn't a "best answer" to a problem, therefore it is necessary to create a ranking of alternatives from most to lest effective. One of the main difficulties is that the presence of the problem in itself may originate from more than one source. This inevitably leads to sets of solutions with different weightings.

Citation for Description: Chin, K.S., Yang, J.B., Guo, M. & Lam, P.K. (2009). An Evidential-Reasoning-Interval-Based Method for New Product Design Assessment. IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, 56(1), 142-156.

Units: Decision Heirarchy

Advantages: Can lead to highlighting critical paths within the New Product Development cycle. It may also give a solution when there are unexpected fails.

Limitations: Can be very time consuming. Not everyone on the New Product Development team may agree on a decision hierarchy.

Target Audience: Top management, Marketing, R&D

Relevant to Universal Design: Yes

Stages and Steps: 2.2

Free Resource: Department for Communities and Local Government: London. (2009). Multi-criteria analysis: A manual. Retrieved from http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/12761/1/Multi-criteria_Analysis.pdf.

Free Resource: Mind Tools. (2012). Grid analysis. Retrieved from http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTED_03.htm.