This book develops a whole strategy for decision-making, with the full participation of the decision-maker and utilizing continuous feedback. It introduces the use of the very well-known and proven methodology, linear programming, but specially adapted for this purpose. For this, it incorporates a method to include subjective concepts, as well as the possibility of working with many different and even contradictory objectives. The book is liberally populated with diverse case studies to illustrate the concepts. This practical guide will be of interest to anyone undertaking analysis and decision-making, on both simple and complex projects, and who is looking for a strategy to organize, classify, and evaluate the large amount of information required to make an informed decision. The strategy includes methods to analyze the results and extract conclusions from them.

This practical guide will appeal to those undertaking analysis and decision-making on both simple and complex projects, and who is looking for a strategy to organize, classify, and evaluate the large amount of information required to make an informed decision.

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This book develops a complete strategy for decision-making, with the full participation of the decision-maker and utilizing continuous feedback. It introduces the use of the very well-known and proven methodology, linear programming, but specially adapted for this purpose. For this, it incorporates a method to include subjective concepts, as well as the possibility of working with many different and even contradictory objectives.

To illustrate the concepts, the book is liberally populated with diverse case studies, such as:

-selection between sources of renewable energy

-route selection for an oil pipeline project

-airport expansion plans

-scheduling bridge repairs

-housing developments

-land use and rehabilitation of abandoned land

-selecting construction alternatives for a subway line

Taking the reader from the basics to the end of the process,?this practical guide will be of interest to anyone undertaking analysis and decision-making on both simple and complex projects, and who is looking for a strategy to organize, classify, and evaluate the large amount of information required to make an informed decision. The strategy includes methods to analyze the results and extract conclusions from them.

Readers in the fields of environmental science, engineering, urban-planning,?architecture, and business administration will find this book useful.

1.Strategic Plan for Decision Making: Its Costituent Elements 1.1 The Decision Making Process: The Challenge 1.2 Understanding the Importance of the Decision Making Process 1.3 Components of a Project 1.4 Supporting the Decision maker 1.5 Processing Data 1.6 Modeling 1.7 How to Approach a Problem 1.8 Delivering Information to the Decision Maker - Its Analysis, Discussion fot Results, Feedback and Final Decision 1.9 Operative Sequence for Decision-Making 1.10 Conclusion for This Chapter 1.11 Tentative Listing of Activities Wher Decision-Making References 2.Getting and Processing Data 2.1 Data Collection: Backgraound Information 2.2 People Participating in the Selection Process and Sensitivity Analysis 2.3 Nature of the Competing Projects or Alternatives 2.4 Relationships Between Competing Projects, Alternatives or Options 2.5 Analysis of Competing Projects or Alternatives 2.6 Criteria to Use 2.7 Impact Evaluation 2.8 Conclusion for This Chapter References 3.State of the Art in Decision-Making 3.1 Most Used Methods for Helping Decision-Making 3.2 Review of the Characteristics of Outranking 3.3 Conclusion for This Chapter References 4.Linear Programming for a Single Objective 4.1 Brief Theory on Linear Programming 4.2 Solving a Multicriteria Problem Through the Graphic Method 4.3 Brief and Concise Comment on the Procedure for Solving 4.4. Conclusion of This Chapter References 5.Features in Formulating and Solving Decision Problems-Sensitivity Analysis 5.1 Case Study: Selecting Environmental Options for Electrical Generation in a Ragion 5.2 Informing the Decision Maker-Importance of Different Objectives, and Analysis of Their Influence 5.3 Determining the Importance or Weight of Each Objective 5.4 Addressing Requests from the Decision Maker-Feed Backing the Model 5.5 Regarding Critera Pondering 5.6 Weighting the Objective Functions-Shadow Prices and Their Analysis 5.7 Selection and Alternatives Ranking 5.8 Conclusion of Their Chapter References 6.The SIMUS Method 6.1 Linear Programming and Its Use for Solving 6.2 The SIMUS Method-Procedure to Solve 6.3 Case Study: Airport Expansion Plan (Solved with SIMUS) 6.4 Conclusion on This Example 6.5 The Dual in Linear Programming and Its Application to Projects 6.6 Sensitivity Analysis 6.7 Choosing the Final Solution 6.8 Conclusion of This Chapter References 7.Comparison of Different Models 7.1 Operative Differences Between Linear Programming and Other Multicriteria Methods 7.2 Classification References 8.Planning and Solving Actual Complex Projects 8.1 The Matrix Structure of the Complex Projects 8.2 Strategic Planning of Complex Projects Including a Portfolio of Projects-Aspects to Consider 8.3 Solving Complex Projects with Linear Programming References 9.SWOT Analysis-Risk Analysis-Actual Problems Solved and Methods Used 9.1 SWOT Analysis Applied to the Decision Making Process 9.2 How to Estimate Risks 9.3 Outline of Actual Decision Problems Solved by Different Methods References Glossary Index