Interactive method to reduce the amount of tradeoff information required from decision makers in multi-attribute decision making under uncertainty
First Claim
1. A method for supporting a decision making process, the method comprising:
- implementing a decision model for determining a solution to a decision problem based on attributes and uncertainties of the decision problem, the decision problem including information about a plurality of outcome vectors that represent all possible outcomes and the uncertainties associated with the decision problem, the decision model precluding any preference information of the attributes and the outcome vectors;
determining whether the decision model can be solved without receiving any preference information from a decision maker;
receiving partially specified preference information from the decision maker if the received decision model cannot be solved without any preference information, said receiving partially specified preference information comprising;
identifying N pairs of outcome vectors to present to the decision maker for preference assessment, said N pairs of outcome vectors identified by;
selecting the N pair of outcome vectors that maximizes an expected information gain, the expected information gain including;
a reduction in a number of preferred strategies;
orselecting the N pair of outcome vectors that balances user-friendliness and the expected information gain;
presenting N elicitation questions, based on the identified N pairs of outcome vectors, to the decision maker, an elicitation question requesting of the decision maker which outcome vector the decision maker prefers between two outcome vectors; and
providing, by the decision maker, answers to the N elicitation questions as representing the partially specified preference information;
solving the decision model with the partially specified preference information; and
recommending, based on the solution, one or more decisions to the decision maker,wherein a processor coupled to a memory device perform steps of;
receiving the decision model, determining, receiving the partially specified preference information, solving, and recommending.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
There is provided a method, a system and a computer program product for supporting a decision making process. The system receives a decision model from a decision maker, the decision model used for determining a solution to a decision problem based on attributes and uncertainties of the decision problem. The decision problem includes information about a plurality of outcome vectors that represent all possible outcomes and the uncertainties associated with the decision problem. The system determines whether the received decision model can be solved without receiving any preference information from the decision maker. The system receives partially specified preference information from the decision maker if the received decision model cannot be solved without any preference information. The system solves the decision model with the partially specified preference information. The system recommends, based on the solution, one or more decisions to the decision maker.
17 Citations
12 Claims
-
1. A method for supporting a decision making process, the method comprising:
-
implementing a decision model for determining a solution to a decision problem based on attributes and uncertainties of the decision problem, the decision problem including information about a plurality of outcome vectors that represent all possible outcomes and the uncertainties associated with the decision problem, the decision model precluding any preference information of the attributes and the outcome vectors; determining whether the decision model can be solved without receiving any preference information from a decision maker; receiving partially specified preference information from the decision maker if the received decision model cannot be solved without any preference information, said receiving partially specified preference information comprising; identifying N pairs of outcome vectors to present to the decision maker for preference assessment, said N pairs of outcome vectors identified by; selecting the N pair of outcome vectors that maximizes an expected information gain, the expected information gain including;
a reduction in a number of preferred strategies;
orselecting the N pair of outcome vectors that balances user-friendliness and the expected information gain; presenting N elicitation questions, based on the identified N pairs of outcome vectors, to the decision maker, an elicitation question requesting of the decision maker which outcome vector the decision maker prefers between two outcome vectors; and providing, by the decision maker, answers to the N elicitation questions as representing the partially specified preference information; solving the decision model with the partially specified preference information; and recommending, based on the solution, one or more decisions to the decision maker, wherein a processor coupled to a memory device perform steps of;
receiving the decision model, determining, receiving the partially specified preference information, solving, and recommending. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
-
-
6. A system for providing a decision support, the system comprising:
-
a memory device; a processor coupled to the memory device, wherein the processor is configured to perform steps of; implementing a decision model for determining a solution to a decision problem based on attributes and uncertainties of the decision problem, the decision problem including information about a plurality of outcome vectors that represent all possible outcomes and the uncertainties associated with the decision problem, the received decision model precluding any preference information of the attributes and the outcome vectors; determining whether the decision model can be solved without receiving any preference information from a decision maker; receiving partially specified preference information from the decision maker if the received decision model cannot be solved without any preference information, said receiving partially specified preference information comprising; identifying N pairs of outcome vectors to present to the decision maker for preference assessment, said N pairs of outcome vectors identified by; selecting the N pair of outcome vectors that maximizes an expected information gain, the expected information gain including;
a reduction in a number of preferred strategies;
orselecting the N pair of outcome vectors that balances user-friendliness and the expected information gain; presenting N elicitation questions, based on the identified N pairs of outcome vectors, to the decision maker, an elicitation question requesting of the decision maker which outcome vector the decision maker prefers between two outcome vectors; and providing, by the decision maker, answers to the N elicitation questions as representing the partially specified preference information; solving the decision model with the partially specified preference information; and recommending, based on the solution, one or more decisions to the decision maker. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A computer program product for providing a decision support, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions run by the processing circuit for performing a method, said method steps comprising:
-
implementing a decision model for determining a solution to a decision problem based on attributes and uncertainties of the decision problem, the decision problem including information about a plurality of outcome vectors that represent all possible outcomes and the uncertainties associated with the decision problem, the received decision model precluding any preference information of the attributes and the outcome vectors; determining whether the decision model can be solved without receiving any preference information from a decision maker; receiving partially specified preference information from the decision maker if the received decision model cannot be solved without any preference information, said receiving partially specified preference information comprising; identifying N pairs of outcome vectors to present to the decision maker for preference assessment, said N pairs of outcome vectors identified by; selecting the N pair of outcome vectors that maximizes an expected information gain, the expected information gain including;
a reduction in a number of preferred strategies;
orselecting the N pair of outcome vectors that balances user-friendliness and the expected information gain; presenting N elicitation questions, based on the identified N pairs of outcome vectors, to the decision maker, an elicitation question requesting of the decision maker which outcome vector the decision maker prefers between two outcome vectors; and providing, by the decision maker, answers to the N elicitation questions as representing the partially specified preference information; solving the decision model with the partially specified preference information; and recommending, based on the solution, one or more decisions to the decision maker. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
-
Specification