A Survey On Multi Criteria Decision Making Methods in Software Engineering
A Survey On Multi Criteria Decision Making Methods in Software Engineering
ISSN No:-2456-2165
Abstract:- Multi-criteria decision methods have been alternatives, defined by constraint at different intervals.
widely used in different fields of development system to Constraint values are retrieved either manually or by
attain significant results. These are the quantitative mathematical evaluation. Information retrieved could be
methods used for reducing the complexity of system actual or fuzzy, depending on the intervals. A modern
design and to arrive at final statement considering the MCDM method provides the platform for the decision
involvement of the number of stakeholders to make a maker to retrieve these data. One of the main stages of
decision. As the alternatives increases and comes with MCDM is deciding on the aggregation method to finalize
attached constraints decision making becomes the decision. However recent advancement in MCDM has
difficult. Many researchers have proposed several given a variety of evaluation theories and the assessment
techniques to enhance software quality by adopting techniques. There are no definite methods adopted for
multi-criteria decision-support methods in the area such decision making. Depending on the application and the
as Testing Criteria for UML Models, Software Project object of comparison, aggregation method is chosen to
Selection, Risk Analysis, Quality Evaluation, and decide on the priorities and to rank the alternatives in order
Assessment etc. This paper mainly focuses on combining [4].
all the work related to the implementation of MCDM in
software engineering, for making a decision in the II. REVIEW OF LITERATURE
different area of application. This highlights more
prominently used methods and the advancements in The decision support methods have been implemented
those methods in the recent years. in the various applications satisfying the constraints to the
major extent. These methods came into existence in early
Keywords:- Multi criteria decision making (MCDM), 1960 and the work continued with the different application.
Decision Making (DM), Software Engineering (SE), The complexity in decision making, increased with the
Prioritizing, Alternatives, Constraints. number of alternatives and the stakeholder involvement
resulting in the implementation of MCDM. Depending on
I. INTRODUCTION the functional requirement different techniques can be used
for the attainment of the solution using either linear
Decision making (DM) always aims for deciding on programming or non-linear programming or discrete
the optimal solution for a problem. It depends on the optimization technique. Abbas Mardani et.al [4] published
decision maker to study the possibilities and to select from study on the MCDM techniques and their applications in
multiple options to attain the desired outcome [1]. This Energy, environmental and sustainability, Operation
could be statistical analysis, quantitative analysis or survey research and soft computing, Knowledge management etc.
to attain the solution satisfying requirements and reducing Vaidya, O. S. & Kumar, S [5] shows survey on AHP used in
the probable conflict on problem definition. MCDM majorly Energy management, E-commerce, Government sectors
focuses on decision making to attain the ideal result when etc. Achimugu P.et.al [6] gives details on a literature review
multiple preferences are provided. Prioritization is also one of Software Requirements Prioritization. Vicent Penades-Pla
of the factors which have to be considered with the increase et.al [7] work details about a review of Multi-Criteria
of alternatives. The complexity of the system also increases Decision-Making Methods Applied to the Sustainable
as stakeholder involves actively in the system Bridge Design. This study mainly highlights MCDM
design. MCDM mainly classified as Multi-attribute decision application in different areas of software engineering from
making (MADM) and Multi-objective decision making 2001 to 2018. The sources referred are IEEE, Science
(MODM). MADM helps in selection of alternatives from a Direct, Research Gate, Conferences and Journals. Some of
given set [2].These alternatives can be evaluated depending the applications are tabulated in Table 1. and are discussed
on the preferences. In economics, utility theory is adopted to as follows.
study the preference of DM and in multi-attribute systems,
multiple attribute utility theory (MAUT) is used for
preference analysis. The utility adaptive (UTA) method uses
MAUT along with regression and linear programming to
analyse the DM preferences. MAUT works with the
principle of independence of attributes and UAT works with
an independence of variables [3]. MODM is used for
obtaining continuous set of solutions when two or more
criteria are present. Majorly MCDM deals with distinct
2020
Year of Publishing
2000
1980
MCDM Methods
The chart (Figure 1) shows various MCDM techniques ELECTRE family includes ELECTRE I, II, III, IV, IS and
used in different area of software engineering over the years. TRI methods which appear similar but differ in the way
Some of the study shows combining different MCDM decision problem is solved. The ELECTRE (Elimination and
methods to increase efficiency and to attain consistent result. Choice Translating algorithm) was introduced by Benayoun,
It is observed from the study that the AHP and FAHP are Roy, and Sussman in 1968 [71]. The method was later
more prominently used methods. developed by Bernard Roy (Roy, 1996).ELECTRE III is
considered to be more efficient in ranking analysis. This
III. MCDM METHODS method mainly depends on the evaluation of concordance
index and discordance index. Ascending and descending
AHP was proposed by Thomas Saaty [65] in 1980, to pre-order is done and then the alternative ranking is
decompose problem into a hierarchical structure and a evaluated. PROMETHEE [72] and its complement
pairwise comparison is performed over the alternatives to Geometric analysis for interactive aid (GAIA) developed in
decide on the preferences. AHP finds wide applications in the early 1980s are majorly used to conquer alternate best
many fields of complex, real-world challenges solutions to attain goals rather providing a right decision.
comprising of number of alternatives. The difficulty in These methods help the developers in designing the
assigning the weights to the alternatives resulted in fuzzy framework for the process, analysing the solution and
logic implementation, resulting in fuzzy AHP method [66]. prioritizing the alternatives. Some of the research work
Instead of comparing two values fuzzy logic resulted in the shows SMARTER (SMART Exploiting Ranks) method,
intermediate values which made an evaluation of based on MAUT (Multiple Attribute Utility Theory) which
alternatives easier. AHP works on the theory of independent is mainly used for preference analysis. This method belongs
criteria, whereas Analytic Network Process (ANP) method to SMART (Simple Multi-Attribute Rating Technique)
[67] developed in 1996 allows the dependencies between the proposed by Edwards and Barron, a family of compensatory
criteria. Most of the problems cannot be arranged in methods. SMARTER uses Rank of Order Centroid (ROC)
hierarchical form because of the contribution from different [73] for elicitation of weights, which converts ranking
levels. ANP is represented by a network, with the cycles criteria into numerical weights. SMARTER is divided into
interconnected to the system. The major drawback of ANP different steps; defining the goal and recognizing decision
is uncertainty in human judgment which results in a makers, Criteria setting, defining goal alternative, evaluating
deficiency in the evaluation of important criteria. Fuzzy criteria and alternatives, analysis of prominent alternatives,
ANP derives local weights using fuzzy preference calculating one-dimensional value function and finally
programming method. This local weight forms super weight swing and ROC method implementation. The
matrix to obtain global weights for ranking the alternatives. progress in the MCDM methods shows that fuzzy version of
TOPSIS (Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to the methods is more appropriate because of the vagueness in
Ideal Solution) which was introduced by Hwang and Yoon the decisions made by the stakeholders and the ambiguity in
in 1981[68] is used along with AHP to increase the the requirement [64]. The recent paper shows a study done
efficiency in decision making. TOPSIS is based on using Wieger’s method with fuzzy logic for requirement
aggregation and representing decision close to an ideal prioritizing. The method depends on benefits, penalty, risk,
solution. The method uses vector normalization to calculate and cost of each requirement. Weights are evaluated in
the shortest distance from the positive ideal solution and the terms of the membership function. Implementation is done
farthest distance from the negative ideal solutions. An initial using MATLAB for membership function and designer
work with Fuzzy TOPSIS method for group decision- inference rules to determine the priority based on the fuzzy
making was implemented by Chen in 2000. In this work, logic. It is considered to be more suitable for the real-time
decision makers use fuzzy sets to allot the semantic values implementation, as the degree of importance of requirements
to the alternatives [69]. VIKOR is also based on aggregation is very high during the development stage. Most of the work
and decision representation close to an ideal solution as that shows that fuzzy concepts can better handle uncertainty
in TOPSIS. In VIKOR linear normalization method is used during complex decision making.
[70]. It is a compromise ranking method providing
maximum utility for the majority and the minimum utility
with minor preferences for the individual.