Isabelle Tamanini

Challenging the Incomparability Problem: An Approach Methodology Based on ZAPROS

Aiming the reduction of incomparability cases between alternatives, for the presentation of a complete and satisfactory result, it is presented a new approach for aiding the decision making process on Verbal Decision Analysis, structured basically on ZAPROS III method. A tool applying the methodology was developed. Some optimizations were done to the method through some differentials on the process, considering similar tools which support solving ill-structured problems. Computational experiments applied to the tool presented promising results.

Project management aided by verbal decision analysis approaches: a case study for the selection of the best SCRUM practices

Agile methodologies, in particular the framework SCRUM, are popular in software development companies. Most of the time, however, it is not feasible for these companies to apply every characteristic of the framework. This paper presents a hybrid application of verbal decision analysis methodologies in order to select some of the most relevant SCRUM approaches to be applied by a company. A questionnaire was developed and a group of experienced ScrumMasters was selected to answer it, aiming at characterizing every SCRUM approach into criteria values. The hybrid application consists in dividing the SCRUM practices into groups (stage supported by the ORCLASS method application), using the ORCLASSWEB tool. Then, the rank of the preferred practices will be generated by the application of the ZAPROS-LM method.

A Novel Multicriteria Model Applied to Cashew Chestnut Industrialization Process

The industrialization process of cashew chestnut involves a decision making based on subjective criteria. It must be analyzed by the production manager, representing the decision maker, always aiming the choice of alternatives that maximize the entire almond index at the end of the process. Currently, this choice is carried out by the historical data verification, or considering the tacit experience of the manager. Therefore, the decision maker tends to miss the choice of the best possible solution. Due to the problem nature and to the necessity of the presentation of a good solution, the ZAPROS method was applied to the process. In the case study, the ZAPROS method application result was the relative and absolute ordinance of the alternatives, according to the DM’s preferences. A case study was realized at the most critical part of the industrialization process of the cashew chestnut.

A Model for Mobile Television Applications Based on Verbal Decision Analysis

The emergence of Digital Television - DTV brings the necessity to select an interface that may be used in Digital Television for Mobile Devices. Many different candidate solutions for interaction applications can be possible. This way, usability specialists prototyped interfaces that were analyzed according to users’ preferences through usability test, considering criteria classified in accordance with users’ preferences and alternatives, which were obtained from a ranking modeled by verbal decision analysis. Results revealed great influence of the application’s functions evidence in the ease of navigation.

Towards the Applied Hybrid Model in Decision Making: A Neuropsychological Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease Study Case

A hybrid model, combining influence diagrams and a multicriteria method, is presented in order to assist with the decision making process about which questions would be more attractive to the definition of the diagnosis of Alzheimers disease, considering the stages of Clinical Dementia Rating. The modeling and evaluation processes were carried out through a battery of standardized assessments for the evaluation of cases with Alzheimers disease developed by Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimers disease.

A hybrid model in the selection of prototypes for educational tools: An applicability in verbal decision analysis

Aiming to answer the growing demand for professionals with knowledge about software processes, this paper presents ideas for creating educational tools that supports its teaching. The paper defines six options of prototypes of educational tools and illustrates the study of preferences elicitation in the application of a hybrid method using ORCLASS and PACOM methodologies from verbal decision analysis (VDA) framework to classify and rank the prototypes according to the decision maker preferences. The application with prototypes was chosen because the software engineering is an area that allows the wide research in the preferences elicitation process. The research results show that, the adoption of qualitative methods of decision support, can benefit significantly the selection of the interface aiming to use the selected interface from the approved group and ranked for future development of real educational tools applications.

Applying verbal decision analysis in selecting prototypes for educational tools

Aiming to answer the growing demand for professionals with knowledge about software processes, this article presents ideas for using educational tools that supports its teaching, through realistic experiences away from risks of real projects. The paper defines four options of prototypes of interfaces with specific characteristics which were evaluated qualitatively by applying the verbal decision analysis (VDA) methodology ORCLASS to classify them in decision groups, structured on the decision makers preferences obtained through the interview. The objective is to use the interfaces of the approved group for future development of real educational tools applications.

OrclassWeb: A Tool Based on the Classification Methodology ORCLASS from Verbal Decision Analysis Framework

The decision making is present in every activity of the human world, either in simple day-by-day problems or in complex situations inside of an organization. Sometimes emotions and reasons become hard to separate; therefore decision support methods were created to help decision makers to make complex decisions, and Decision Support Systems (DSS) were created to aid the application of such methods. The paper presents the development of a new tool, which reproduces the procedure to apply the Verbal Decision Analysis (VDA) methodology ORCLASS. The tool, called OrclassWeb, is software that supports the process of the mentioned DSS method and the paper provides proof of concepts, that which presents its reliability with ORCLASS.

The choice of neuropathological questionnaires to diagnose the Alzheimer's disease based on verbal decision analysis methods

There is a great challenge in identifying the early stages of the Alzheimers disease, which has become the most frequent cause of dementia in the last few years. The aim of this work is to determine which tests, from a battery of tests, are relevant and would detect faster whether the patient is having a normal aging or developing the disease. This will be made applying the method ORCLASS and the Aranau Tool, a decision support system mainly structured on the ZAPROS method. The modeling and evaluation processes were conducted based on bibliographic sources and on the information given by a medical expert.

Applied hybrid model in the neuropsychological diagnosis of the Alzheimer's disease: a decision making study case

Dementias are syndromes described by a decline in memory and other neuropsychological changes especially occurring in the elderly and increasing exponentially in function of age. Due to this fact and to the therapeutical limitations in the most advanced stage of the disease, diagnosis of Alzheimers disease is extremely important and it can provide better life conditions to patients and their families. A hybrid model, combining influence diagrams and a multicriteria method, is presented in order to assist in the decision making about which questions would be more attractive to the definition of the diagnosis of the Alzheimers disease, considering the stages of clinical dementia rating (CDR). The modelling and evaluation processes were carried out through a battery of standardised assessments for the evaluation of cases with Alzheimers disease developed by Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimers disease (CERAD).