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All solutions are not created equal. Many times the selection of a solution is greatly affected by the criteria used to evaluate it – why does this happen? How can the wrong criteria accidentally or purposely skew results? What can you do to ensure this does not happen?
Expert Answer
Yes, criteria plays very crucial role in making the selection. The weights assigned to criteria is equally important and may impact overall score. Example:
Below are the criteria’s for 3 role along with weights:
| Criteria | Weight |
| Career Advancement | 4 |
| Location | 6 |
| Management | 5 |
| Salary | 4 |
| Prestige | 6 |
| Job Security | 5 |
| Enjoyment of the work | 10 |
In this, enjoyment at work criteria weight is exceptionally high compared to other criteria and thus may impact total score.
| Criteria | Weight | Analyst | Accountant | Auditor |
| Career Advancement | 4 | 6 | 4 | 4 |
| Location | 6 | 4 | 4 | 5 |
| Management | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Salary | 4 | 6 | 7 | 4 |
| Prestige | 6 | 4 | 7 | 3 |
| Job Security | 5 | 7 | 5 | 6 |
| Enjoyment of the work | 10 | 6 | 4 | 9 |
The total score will sumproduct of weight and score against each criteria and will give as:
| Criteria | Weight | Analyst | Accountant | Auditor |
| Career Advancement | 4 | 6 | 4 | 4 |
| Location | 6 | 4 | 4 | 5 |
| Management | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Salary | 4 | 6 | 7 | 4 |
| Prestige | 6 | 4 | 7 | 3 |
| Job Security | 5 | 7 | 5 | 6 |
| Enjoyment of the work | 10 | 6 | 4 | 9 |
| 216 | 200 | 225 |
Thus, Auditor is best due to heavy biased score and weight of just one criteria which is “Enjoyment of the work”.
Thus, it will not give right results.
To avoid the skewness, AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) can be used. It helps to give rating for each of the criteria and derive weights in respect to each other. It helps to better show the overall results and values.
