Logical Decisions - Classweb

Different preference assessment methods have different traditions
for deciding which goals should have a MUF. The Smart and
Smarter methods often use a single overall MUF. The AHP
approach generally has a MUF for each goal. The tradeoff and
pairwise weight ratio methods can use either approach.
Interactions apply to all the members of a MUF. If you want to
have only a few particular members interact, you must include
them in their own MUF. You should include members that
interact under their own goal and make sure that that goal has its
own MUF.
In the discussions below we will call the members of a goal's MUF
the "active members" for the goal.
Representatives for Goals With a MUF. LDW will include goals
that have their own MUF in the MUF for a higher level goal.
Often it is difficult to answer preference assessment questions
involving a goal because it is hard to interpret the meaning of
different levels of utility for a goal. It may also be hard to
remember the measures and sub-goals that are its active members
and their importances.
Therefore LDW allows you to select a representative for the goal
in several weight assessment methods. The representative can be
any measure below the goal in the goals hierarchy. It can also be
any sub-goal with its own MUF below the goal in the goals
hierarchy.
The representative replaces the goal in the preference assessment
questions for the MUF the goal is a member of. LDW computes
the goal's weight based on the representative's weight in the MUF
for the goal and the representative's weight in the MUF the goal is
a member of.
Here is a simple example. In the tutorial example, a
"Performance" goal includes "Power" and "Fuel Economy"
measures. The "Performance" goal and a "Price" measure make
up the "Overall" goal (we'll assume that the "Styling" measure has
been deleted).
Suppose "Power" and "Fuel Economy" are assessed equal weights
of 0.5 in the "Performance" goal's MUF. Now suppose that
"Power" is selected as the representative for the "Performance"
goal in the "Overall" goal's preference assessment. Suppose the
"Power" and "Price" measures are also assessed equal weights of
9-34 Section 9 -- In Depth