Decision aiding tool
First Claim
1. A method of decision tree analysis by which a goal (82) to be assessed in terms of a comparison between a number of different scenarios is linked with quantifiable parameters (101-112), thereby enabling a quantitative value to be obtained as a measure of the goal (82), the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) At a first level of the decision tree, associating the goal (82) with Required Information (84) which, if all aspects of the Required Information (84) were known, would enable a straightforward assessment of the goal (82) to be made for each of the different scenarios;
(b) At a second level of the decision tree, linking proxy information (86) to the Required Information (84) wherein the proxy information (86) comprises a number of aspects, each of which is a generally estimable parameter, and each aspect of the proxy information (86) is assumed to make a contribution to each aspect of the Required Information (84); and
(c) At a third and, possibly, subsequent level of the decision tree, extracting Proxy Factors (101-112), the Proxy Factors (101-112) being not insignificant components of each aspect of the proxy information (86) linked to one of the aspects of the Required Information through the decision tree structure and wherein the Proxy Factors (101-112) are quantifiable parameters.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A decision aiding tool uses quantifiable and knowable information as a proxy for generally unknowable information in order to provide basis for assessment of potential for achieving a goal. The knowable (non-specialist) information is linked to the goal to be assessed and to the unknowable (specialist) information via a decision tree. This is incorporated in a software toolkit for conversion of non-specialist information, elicited from a user, into specialist information. The toolkit presents to the user a series of Proxy Questions, each relating to aspects of the knowable information, and a number of possible Statements which may be selected in response. Each selected Statement is then quantified to provide a score and, with appropriate weighting, the scores are aggregated in accordance with the structure of the decision tree. This provides quantitative indicators of the unknowable information and of the potential for achieving the goal.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method of decision tree analysis by which a goal (82) to be assessed in terms of a comparison between a number of different scenarios is linked with quantifiable parameters (101-112), thereby enabling a quantitative value to be obtained as a measure of the goal (82), the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) At a first level of the decision tree, associating the goal (82) with Required Information (84) which, if all aspects of the Required Information (84) were known, would enable a straightforward assessment of the goal (82) to be made for each of the different scenarios;
(b) At a second level of the decision tree, linking proxy information (86) to the Required Information (84) wherein the proxy information (86) comprises a number of aspects, each of which is a generally estimable parameter, and each aspect of the proxy information (86) is assumed to make a contribution to each aspect of the Required Information (84); and
(c) At a third and, possibly, subsequent level of the decision tree, extracting Proxy Factors (101-112), the Proxy Factors (101-112) being not insignificant components of each aspect of the proxy information (86) linked to one of the aspects of the Required Information through the decision tree structure and wherein the Proxy Factors (101-112) are quantifiable parameters. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of generating a quantitative value representative of potential for achieving a goal (82), the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) presenting (50) to a user a series of predetermined Proxy Questions (PQn) and, for each Proxy Question (PQn), a set of Proxy Statements (PSn,m(n));
wherein each Proxy Question (PQn) has a predetermined associated Weighting value (wn) and each Proxy Statement (PSn,m(n)) has a pre-determined associated Assigned Value (AVn,m(n));
(b) accepting (54) a Response comprising a selected set of Proxy Statements (PS(nm)) from the user;
(c) replacing (56) each Proxy Statement (PS(nm)) within the Response with its associated Assigned Value (AV(nm));
(d) multiplying (58) each Assigned Value (AV(nm)) by the Weighting value (wn) associated with the Proxy Question (PQn) which prompted for its associated Proxy Statement (PS(nm)) to obtain a set of score indicators (scoren);
(e) aggregating (60) predetermined combinations of score indicators (scoren) together to obtain a selection of result indicators; and
(f) displaying (66) the result indicators to the user. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A computer system (10) configured to provide scores for the purpose of assessing competing demands on resources, the system comprising:
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memory means (16, 18, 20, 22) for storing data comprising Proxy Questions (PQn), weightings (wn) for each Proxy Question (PQn), Proxy Statements (PSn,m(n)) and Assigned Values (AVn,m(n)) associated with the Proxy Statements (PSn,m(n)), a display means arranged to display the Proxy Questions (PQn) and, for each Proxy Question (PQn), a set of Proxy Statements (PSn,m(n)) in a format to prompt the user to select one Proxy Statement (PS(nm)) from the set, input means arranged to accept inputs from the user, the inputs being characteristic of the Proxy Statements (PS(nm)), interface means (12) arranged to provide communication between the display means, input means and the rest of the computer (10), a processor (14), the processor (14) being responsive to the inputs characteristic of the Proxy Statements (PS(nm)) selected to determine a series of scores relating to this combination of Proxy Statements (PS(nm)) and to output the series of scores or a subset thereof via the interface (12) for display by the display means, wherein the Proxy Questions (PQn) are associated with respective Proxy Factors (101-112) in such a way that an answer (PSn,m(n)) to the Question (PQn) is informative as to an impact of the associated Proxy Factor (101-112), the Proxy Factors (101-112) are derived from a decision tree structure, in which linkages are provided between the Proxy Factors (101-112) and aspects of proxy information (86) and between the aspects of proxy information (86) and aspects of Required Information (84), the Required Information being that which, if known, would permit a straightforward assessment of the competing demands to be made, and the proxy information (86) comprises parameters which are more readily estimable than the aspects of the Required Information (84). - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A computer-readable medium embodying instructions for execution by a processor, the computer-readable medium comprising:
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(a) Program code for presenting (50) to a user a series of predetermined Proxy Questions (PQn) and, for each Proxy Question (PQn), a set of Proxy Statements (PSn,m(n));
wherein each Proxy Question (PQn) has a predetermined associated normalised Weighting value (wn) and each Proxy Statement (PSn,m(n)) has a pre-determined associated Assigned Value (AVn,m(n));
(b) Program code for accepting (54) a Response comprising a selected set of Proxy Statements (PS(nm)) from the user;
(c) Program code for replacing (56) each Proxy Statement (PS(nm)) within the Response with its associated Assigned Value (AV(nm));
(d) Program code for multiplying (58) each Assigned Value (AV(nm)) by the Weighting value (wn) associated with the Proxy Question (PQn) which prompted for its associated Proxy Statement (PS(nm)) to obtain a set of score indicators (scoren);
(e) Program code for aggregating (60) predetermined combinations of score indicators (scoren) together to obtain a selection of result indicators; and
(f) Program code for displaying (66) the result indicators to the user.
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Specification