What is the third step when applying multiple-criteria decision analysis (MCDA)?

What is the third step when applying multiple-criteria decision analysis (MCDA)?

• A. Identify and select objectives and criteria
• B. Define the problem
• C. Score alternatives
• D. Weigh importance of criteria

Answer: (A)

Identifying objectives and criteria early establishes what success looks like and how you’ll judge options. After you’ve framed the decision, the next practical move is to articulate the goals you want to achieve and the criteria that will be used to evaluate each alternative. This creates a clear reference: it tells you what matters and how performance will be measured, which guides every later action. With objectives and criteria defined, you can meaningfully weigh how important each criterion is and how each option scores, leading to a coherent comparison. If you skip or delay this step, the subsequent weighting and scoring would lack a stable basis and the results could become inconsistent.

Identifying objectives and criteria early establishes what success looks like and how you’ll judge options. After you’ve framed the decision, the next practical move is to articulate the goals you want to achieve and the criteria that will be used to evaluate each alternative. This creates a clear reference: it tells you what matters and how performance will be measured, which guides every later action. With objectives and criteria defined, you can meaningfully weigh how important each criterion is and how each option scores, leading to a coherent comparison. If you skip or delay this step, the subsequent weighting and scoring would lack a stable basis and the results could become inconsistent.