Multi Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA)

MCDA is an “umbrella term to describe a collection of formal approaches which seek to take explicit account of multiple criteria in helping individuals or groups explore decisions that matter” (Belton and Stewart, 2002, p. 2). The basic idea of MCDA methods is to evaluate the performance of alternative courses of action (e.g. management or policy options) with respect to criteria that capture the key dimensions of the decision-making problem (e.g. ecological, economic and social sustainability), involving human judgment and preferences. They are rooted in operational research and support for single decision-makers but recently the emphasis has shifted towards multi-stakeholder processes to structure decision alternatives and their consequences, to facilitate dialogue on the relative merits of alternative courses of action, thereby enhancing procedural quality in the decision-making process (Mendoza and Martins 2006).