Weighted criterion: what it is and what it means

A weighted criterion is a decision criterion assigned a stated weight, which establishes its influence on the total relative to the other criteria in the same grid. The weight is written down before you know the scores and comes with a one-line rationale: it is the value trade-off made explicit between goals that cannot all be met at once. In the calculation, each alternative's score is multiplied by the criterion's weight and the products are added up. A weighted criterion counts more than the others, and says so: the weight written in the column makes explicit what stays implicit in the discussion.

Distinctive: a stated weight
Distinctive: counts more than the others, and says so
Essential: influence on the total
Essential: before you know the scores
Essential: a one-line rationale
Constant: multiplied by the criterion's weight

Glossary

Weighted criterion

A decision criterion assigned a stated weight, set before the scores, which establishes its influence on the total relative to the other criteria in the same grid.