Visual Interactive Method

Abstract

The Visual Interactive Method for Decision Analysis (VIMDA) was developed with the aim of providing an easy to use and easy to understand method for decision makers to examine efficient alternatives with no restrictive assumptions about the underlying utility function of the decision maker (Korhonen, 1988). VIMDA was designed for dealing with problems where many alternatives were available (purchasing a house, purchasing an appliance, selecting the best candidate for an award). The method allows preliminary screening of alternatives using aspiration levels as bounds, retaining the possibility of considering these alternatives later in the analysis. A computer graphics system presenting the attainments of a small subset of alternatives to the decision maker is the heart of VIMDA. The decision maker can select the preferred alternative from this small set, with the implied preference information providing a basis for elimination of many of the remaining alternatives. User friendliness is emphasized in the system. Decision makers are allowed to change their minds about the quality of solutions, hence, allowing a free search of alternatives.