Logical Decisions - Classweb

Tradeoff
Trial
program decides which formula to use based on your input in the
Assess SUFs option.
The linear SUF formula is just the formula that gives a straight line
from the utility of the least preferred level of the sub-range to the
utility of the most preferred level of the sub-range. The formula for a
linear SUF is:
U(X) = a + bX,
where a and b are computed scaling constants and X is a level
for the measure.
The exponential SUF formula is used to fit a smooth curve to three
points -- the least preferred level of the sub-range, the most preferred
level of the sub-range and the mid-preference level of the sub range.
The formula is
(-cX)
U(X) = a + (be ),
where a, b, and c are computed scaling constants and e is the
mathematical constant 2.718...
See also: Assess SUFs option, Level, Measure, SUF, Utility.
A tradeoff is a pair of equally preferred hypothetical alternatives that
differ on only two measures. Alternative B has a more preferred
level on measure 1 and a less preferred level on measure 2 while
alternative A has a less preferred level on measure 1 and a more
preferred level for measure 2. The levels of the measures are set so
that a change in measure 1 just compensates for a corresponding
change in measure 2. Equally preferred alternatives should have
equal overall utilities, and since alternatives A and B differ only in
measures 1 and 2, these compensating changes can be used to
compute the relative weights for measures 1 and 2.
See also: Alternative, Level, Measure, Utility, Weight.
A trial is a single iteration in a Monte Carlo simulation. In LDW a
trial results in the evaluation of the utility of an alternative based on
a possible resolution of its uncertainties. In the trial, each
probabilistic level is replaced by a deterministic sample from its
probability distribution. The samples are generated using a random
12-10 Section 12 -- Glossary