Design Decision Making With Multiple Interacting Criteria and Varying Relative Weights.

摘要

The design environment is typically characterized by conflicting objectives and numerous design alternatives, making selection of a specific system design problematic. The broad goal of this research is the development of a prescriptive decision making approach which facilitates the comparison of a large number of design alternatives with respect to multiple criteria. The approach developed considers both objective and subjective factors, yet strives for optimization rather than satisfying of the decision criteria. Each criterion is considered in light of perceived relative weights which are permitted to vary in response to the performance achieved for that objective. Finally, the decision technique described provides a means of treating potential interactions among the multiple criteria. A design methodology framework is presented, containing state-of-the-art features stemming from the dramatic influence of systems theory. These characteristics include a broad, macro view of the system being designed, an expansionist, deductive perspective in the evaluation of design alternatives, and explicit consideration of system life cycle phases. Within the context of this framework methodology, major decision making approaches frequently suggested as alternatives for the design decision problem are reviewed and critiqued with respect to the desired features. Theses. (aw)