Aggregation functions for engineering design trade-offs

• Published in: Fuzzy sets and systems Vol. 99; no. 3; pp. 253 - 264
• Main Authors: Scott, Michael J., Antonsson, Erik K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01-11-1998; Elsevier
• Subjects: Aggregation functions; Applied sciences; Averaging operators; Decision making; Decision theory; Decision theory. Utility theory; Engineering; Exact sciences and technology; Fuzzy design; Mathematics; Multicriteria analysis; Operational research and scientific management; Operational research. Management science; Parametric inference; Probability and statistics; Sciences and techniques of general use; Statistics; Averaging operators; Aggregation functions; Fuzzy design; Engineering; Decision making; Multicriteria analysis; Aggregation; Engineering design; Selection criterion; Fuzzy set; Selection function
• ISSN: 0165-0114; 1872-6801
• DOI: 10.1016/S0165-0114(97)00032-8

The choice of an aggregation function is a common problem in multi-attribute decision making (MADM) systems. The
Method of Imprecision (M
oI) is a formal theory for the manipulation of preliminary design information that represents preferences among design alternatives with the mathematics of fuzzy sets. The M
oI formulates the preliminary design problem as a MADM problem. To date, two aggregation functions have been developed for the M
oI, one representing a compensating strategy and one a non-compensating strategy. Much of the prior fuzzy sets research on aggregation functions has been inappropriate for application to engineering design. In this paper, the selection of an aggregation function for MADM schemes is discussed within the context of the M
oI. The general restrictions on design-appropriate aggregation functions are outlined, and a family of functions, modeling a range of trade-off strategies, is presented. The results are illustrated with an example.