Multi-Attribute Tradeoff System

What Is It Good For?

Multi-attribute Tradeoff System (MATS) is an interactive software program designed to help decisionmakers (or publics) make choices among options and alternatives when many pieces of information must be considered. MATS provides a framework for decision analysis; the user provides the content. The MATS process helps reduce the complexity of developing alternatives by tracking all assumptions.

MATS is a decision framework which:

 
• Incorporates facts and values
• Can use both objective data and/or subjective ratings to assess alternatives
• Assesses relevant preferences, values, and views
• Clearly distinguishes between technical and value judgments.
• Documents the decision process and rationales
• Can be used directly by the decisionmakers and the publics

How Do I Use It?

1. Install MATS on your computer (contact Deena Larsen for a copy).
2. Identify factors which will influence the decision. (The first cut can be as high as 15 factors, but after examination, often less than 5 factors will determine the decision.)
3. Identify measurement criteria for each factor. Some of these may be a range of potential impacts, others may be on a numerical scale, and still others may be a yes/no variable.
4. Use the function forms to describe the thresholds of desirable and undesirable impacts (e.g., limits to the number of deer that can be supported within the acreage before they begin to starve).
5. Place a weight based on the importance of each of these factors in a decision. If you assume 100 total points, for example, you can distribute a percentage of influence among factors to determine weights. MATS' interrogative mode can be set to ask a series of questions to establish these weights.
6. Put in a baseline alternative using current or projected future conditions if no action is taken.
7. Enter the rest of your alternatives, based on the analysis of impacts for each factor.
8. Run MATS to get a 3-digit ranking for the desirability of each alternative and allow you to analyze which impacts on what factor influence their desirability.
9. MATS also documents this process for decisionmakers and publics to review.

Go On