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MCDA made simple

Ever found yourself juggling too many factors while making a decision? That’s where Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) comes in. MCDA is a systematic approach that involves evaluating multiple criteria or factors simultaneously to make informed decisions. It’s a fancy term, but the idea is simple: break down complex decisions into smaller parts and weigh each part based on what matters most to you.

Think of it like choosing a laptop. You might want a sleek design, long battery life, and a good price, but how do you balance these competing desires? MCDA helps you assign weights to each factor (design, battery, price) and score different laptops against those factors. This way, you can see which laptop comes out on top based on your priorities.

The same principle applies to bigger decisions, like choosing a treatment plan or evaluating new technologies in healthcare. MCDA helps decision-makers consider all the important factors, from clinical effectiveness to cost-effectiveness, and make more transparent and rational choices.

There are different types and methods of calculations in MCDA. Typically, MCDA process involves several key steps, including:

  1. Defining the decision problem = MCDA works best in weighing possible solutions. What are the options to your problem?
  2. Identifying criteria = The essence of MCDA is ‘Criteria’ (plural. hence the name). What are the desired characteristics for the solutions?
  3. Assigning weights to criteria = We need to determine which characteristics is at most importance.
  4. Scoring options against criteria = Then, rate your solutions based on your criteria within a range or scores
  5. Calculating total scores = Simply, multiply the scores with the criteria weights!
  6. Ranking options = Sort the options or solutions based on the total scores
  7. Deliberating and making a decision = Time to do reality check. Does this fits with you? If not, you may be missing important criteria!

Curious to see how MCDA works in everyday life? You’ll find examples of how MCDA can be used to shortlist your assistant candidate, choose the best materials for bed frames, and even plan a trip rationally.

So, next time you’re faced with a tough decision, remember MCDA. It’s a powerful tool that can help you navigate complexity and make choices that align with your values and goals.