Utility analysis

Activities

• Activity 4: Assessing and selecting the solution concept

Necessary tools

• Structured representation of the hierarchical value system using a form
• Spreadsheet program
• To visualize the evaluation results, it makes sense to draw up a utility profile

Description

During the utility analysis, several alternatives (and possibly the current state) are compared from the perspective of functional utility. It can be used when quantifiable evaluation criteria are missing or difficult to formulate and also to evaluate qualitative evaluation criteria.

Procedure

1. Determination of the weighting factors, for example with a pairwise comparison of the criteria
2. Determination of the target achievement factors for the individual alternatives
3. Utility value determination

Sources

• Ehrlenspiel and Meerkamm 2017, p. 649-652
• Kumke 2018
• Pahl u. a. 2007, p. 166-168
• Lindemann 2009, p. 285, 286
• VDI 2221 (1993)
• VDI 2223 (2004)
• Dietrich, J.R., Meitinger, T.H. (2021). Methoden zur Ideengewinnung, -bewertung und Projektumsetzung. In: Erfinderhandbuch. Springer Vieweg, Berlin, Heidelberg p.65-68