Decision-making software (DM software) is software for computer applications that help individuals and organisations make choices and take decisions, typically by ranking, prioritizing or choosing from a number of options.
An early example of DM software was described in 1973.[1][2] Before the advent of the World Wide Web, most DM software was spreadsheet-based,[2] with the first web-based DM software appearing in the mid-1990s.[3] Nowadays, many DM software products (mostly web-based) are available[4][5][6][7] – e.g. see the comparison table below.
Most DM software focuses on ranking, prioritizing or choosing from among alternatives characterized on multiple criteria or attributes.[4] Thus most DM software is based on decision analysis, usually multi-criteria decision-making, and so is often referred to as "decision analysis"[5][6] or "multi-criteria decision-making"[4] software – commonly shortened to "decision-making software". Some decision support systems include a DM software component.
DM software can assist decision-makers "at various stages of the decision-making process, including problem exploration and formulation, identification of decision alternatives and solution constraints, structuring of preferences, and tradeoff judgements."[4]
The purpose of DM software is to support the analysis involved at these various stages of the decision-making process, not to replace it. DM software "should be used to support the process, not as the driving or dominating force."[8]
DM software frees users "from the technical implementation details [of the decision-making method employed], allowing them to focus on the fundamental value judgements".[8] Nonetheless, DM software should not be employed blindly. "Before using a software, it is necessary to have a sound knowledge of the adopted methodology and of the decision problem at hand."[9]
As mentioned earlier, most DM software is based on multi-criteria decision making (MCDM). MCDM involves evaluating and combining alternatives' characteristics on two or more criteria or attributes in order to rank, prioritize or choose from among the alternatives.[10]
There is currently a great deal of interest in quantitative methods for decision making. Many decision analysts argue for multi-attribute decision analysis as the gold standard to which other methods should be compared, based on its rigorous axiomatic basis. Some other MCDM methods[8] include:
There are significant differences between these methods[8][10] and, accordingly, the DM software implementing them. Such differences include:
In the process of helping decision-makers to rank, prioritize or choose from among alternatives, DM software products often include a variety of features and tools;[3][4] common examples include:
DM software includes the following notable examples.
| Software | Supported MCDA Methods | Pairwise Comparison | Sensitivity Analysis | Group Evaluation | Web-based | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000minds | PAPRIKA | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | [4][5][6] |
| Ahoona | WSM, Utility | No | No | Yes | Yes | [11] |
| Altova MetaTeam | WSM | No | No | Yes | Yes | [citation needed] |
| Analytica | MAUT, SMART | No | Yes | No | Yes | [4][5] |
| Criterium DecisionPlus | AHP, SMART | Yes | Yes | No | No | [4] |
| D-Sight | PROMETHEE, UTILITY | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | [4][5] |
| DecideIT | MAUT | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | [4][5] |
| Decision Lens | AHP, ANP | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | [citation needed] |
| Expert Choice | AHP | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | [4][5] |
| Hiview3 | SMART | No | Yes | Yes | No | [4][5] |
| Intelligent Decision System | Evidential Reasoning Approach, Bayesian Inference, Dempster–Shafer theory, Utility | Yes | Yes | Yes | Available on request | [5] |
| Logical Decisions | AHP | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | [4][5][6] |
| M-MACBETH | MACBETH | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | [4] |
| PriEsT | AHP | Yes | Yes | No | No | [12] |
| Super Decisions | AHP, Analytic Network Process | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | [13] |
A good summary of the capabilities of various software packages is available in the Decision Analysis Software Survey conducted by the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS). The software packages listed in the survey range from free to commercial or enterprise-level packages.
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