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Logical Decisions - Classweb

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Nominal<br />

Utility<br />

Point<br />

Estimate<br />

k i=<br />

the scaling constant small k for member i of g, and<br />

U (X)= the utility of alternative X for member i<br />

i<br />

The multiplicative MUF formula is used when a non-additive option<br />

is selected in Define Interactions. The formula has three interesting<br />

limits -- If big K equals 0.0, the formula reduces to the additive<br />

formula. If big K equals -1.0, the formula reduces to<br />

U g(X) = (1 - U 1(X))(1 - U 2(X))...(1 - U n(X))<br />

+ 1,<br />

which equals 1.0 if U i(X)<br />

= 1.0 for any i. As big K gets very large, the<br />

formula becomes<br />

U g(X) = U 1(X)U 2(X)...U n(X),<br />

which equals 0.0 if U i(X)<br />

equals 0.0 for any i. Intermediate values of<br />

big K have intermediate degrees of interaction. Big Ks less than 0.0<br />

mean that a high utility on an individual member can result in a high<br />

overall utility (constructive interaction), while big K greater than 0.0<br />

indicates that a low utility on an individual member can result in a<br />

low overall utility (destructive interaction).<br />

See also: Additive MUF, Alternative, Big K, Define Interactions, Goal,<br />

Member, MUF, Small k, Utility.<br />

A nominal utility is assigned to all members of a goal when the utility<br />

is not directly specified. The nominal utility is assigned when the<br />

goal is defined and is generally set to 1.0, so that all members of the<br />

goal are assumed to have their most preferred levels if their level is<br />

not directly specified. This situation occurs while assessing tradeoffs,<br />

when a single measure is used to represent a goal in a tradeoff.<br />

When the tradeoff questions are displayed, the decision maker is<br />

asked to assume that the representative measure has a certain utility<br />

and that all other members of the goal have the nominal utility.<br />

See also: Goal, Measure, Member, Tradeoff, Utility.<br />

A point estimate for a measure level is a single number that will be<br />

the measure's level with certainty. This is in contrast to a<br />

probabilistic level, where a measure's level is not known with<br />

certainty and must be described with a probability distribution.<br />

See also: Level, Measure, Probabilistic Level.<br />

Section 12 -- Glossary 12-7

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