Supporting the intelligent MCDA user: A case study in multi-person multi-criteria decision support

This paper stems from the conjunction of two research studies, the first investigating the provision of Intelligent User Support for multi-criteria decision analysis, the second seeking to provide decision support to small and medium enterprises in the Glasgow area. It describes two softwares for analysis and visual interactive display (AVIDs) designed to support expert MCDA users by extending the power of analysis of existing tools to enable the users to quickly make sense of complex multi-user, multi-criteria evaluations, possibly in the stressful and time pressured environment of a decision workshop. The use and subsequent evaluation of these softwares is described in the context of a study to explore potential futures, in the light of conflicting pressures, for a daycare centre for adults with cerebral palsy.