DEMATEL: Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory

Overview

Cause-effect influence network (total relation matrix): produces prominence + relation for criteria weighting. Output typically weight (higher value = preferred).

Strengths

• •Method-specific: Cause-effect influence network (total relation matrix): produces prominence + relation for criteria weighting

Limitations

• •Assumes: Decision matrix exists with measurable criteria
• •Assumes: Sufficient inter-alternative variation per criterion

Assumptions to verify

• •Decision matrix exists with measurable criteria
• •Sufficient inter-alternative variation per criterion

When not to use

• •No data variation (constant criterion) → weight degenerates
• •Expert judgment is the actual driver → use subjective weighting

Edge cases

• •See F.steps and D.parameters for DEMATEL-specific edge handling. recommendation_metadata.assumptions_to_verify also lists boundary conditions.

Common pitfalls

• •Hatalı: 'DEMATEL bu varsayımı kontrol etmeden uygulamak'. Doğrusu: Decision matrix exists with measurable criteria
• •Hatalı: 'DEMATEL bu varsayımı kontrol etmeden uygulamak'. Doğrusu: Sufficient inter-alternative variation per criterion
• •Hatalı: DEMATEL'yi 'No data variation (constant criterion) → weight degenerates' durumunda kullanmak: recommendation_metadata.not_recommended_when alternatif öneriyor.
• •Hatalı: DEMATEL'yi 'Expert judgment is the actual driver → use subjective weighting' durumunda kullanmak: recommendation_metadata.not_recommended_when alternatif öneriyor.

Worked example

1. 1.Adım 1 (F1): Step 1: Direct-relation matrix A from expert pairwise influence judgements. Formül: A = [a_{ij}]_{n\times n},\quad a_{ij}\in\{0,1,2,3,4\} Anchor: Gabus-Fontela 1972, p.4
2. 2.Adım 2 (F2): Step 2: Normalised direct relation X = A / max(row sum, col sum). Formül: X = \dfrac{A}{\max\big(\max_{i}\sum_{j} a_{ij},\ \max_{j}\sum_{i} a_{ij}\big)} Anchor: Gabus-Fontela 1972, p.5 Eq.(1)
3. 3.Adım 3 (F3): Step 3: Total relation matrix T = X(I − X)^{−1}. Formül: T = X(I - X)^{-1} Anchor: Gabus-Fontela 1972, p.5 Eq.(2)
4. 4.Adım 4 (F4): Step 4: Row sums D and column sums R; prominence D+R, relation D−R. Formül: D_{i}=\sum_{j} t_{ij},\ R_{j}=\sum_{i} t_{ij};\ \text{Prominence}=D+R,\ \text{Relation}=D-R Anchor: Gabus-Fontela 1972, p.5 Eqs.(3)-(4)
5. 5.Adım 5 (F5): Step 5: DEMATEL weights w_j = ((D+R)² + (D−R)²)^{1/2} normalised. Formül: w_{j} = \dfrac{\sqrt{(D_{j}+R_{j})^{2} + (D_{j}-R_{j})^{2}}}{\sum_{k} \sqrt{(D_{k}+R_{k})^{2} + (D_{k}-R_{k})^{2}}} Anchor: Gabus-Fontela 1972, p.6 Eq.(5)

Commonly paired with

• •DEMATEL + TOPSIS (high)
• •DEMATEL + VIKOR (high)
• •DEMATEL + EDAS (high)
• •DEMATEL + WASPAS (high)
• •DEMATEL + MARCOS (high)

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