Title :
A fuzzy-logic-based approach to project selection
Author :
Machacha, Lilybert L. ; Bhattacharya, Prabir
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Manage., Botswana Univ., Gaborone, Botswana
fDate :
2/1/2000 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
When making decisions we need to consider the possible alternatives and then choose the optimal alternative. The uncertainty of subjective judgment is present during this selection process. Also, decision making becomes difficult when the available information is incomplete or imprecise. This kind of problem exists while selecting a project. There are also several critical factors that are involved in the selection process, including market conditions, availability of raw materials, etc. The decision mechanism is constrained by the uncertainty inherent in the determination of the relative importance of each attribute element. In this paper, me develop a system for the project selection using fuzzy logic. Fuzzy logic enables us to emulate the human reasoning process and make decisions based on vague or imprecise data. Our approach is based on uncertainty reduction. The optimal alternative is formed by the relative weights of each attribute´s elements combined over all the attribute membership functions. We also do a case study for the selection of software packages. Our system could be easily applied to other project selection problems under uncertainty
Keywords :
fuzzy logic; fuzzy set theory; inference mechanisms; project management; software packages; attribute membership functions; decision making; decision mechanism constraint; fuzzy inference; fuzzy-logic-based approach; human reasoning process emulation; market conditions; project selection; raw materials availability; software packages selection; subjective judgment uncertainty; uncertainty reduction; Analytical models; Decision making; Fuzzy logic; Helium; Humans; Project management; Raw materials; Research and development management; Software packages; Uncertainty;
Journal_Title :
Engineering Management, IEEE Transactions on