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Best Worst Method with Sorting

Also known as: BWM-Sort

OriginatorJafar RezaeiYear2015Sources2Related methods7

BWM-Sort is a variant of the Best Worst Method introduced by Jafar Rezaei around 2015. It combines pairwise comparison of criteria with alternative sorting, enabling decision-makers to prioritize both evaluation dimensions and final ranked outcomes in a single integrated framework.

Key highlights

  • Reduces cognitive load by requiring only best–worst comparisons instead of full pairwise matrices
  • Produces a linear programming model with mathematically guaranteed optimal weights
  • Integrates criteria weighting and alternative ranking in a single coherent step
  • Handles inconsistent judgments gracefully through a minimization objective

Intuition

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How it works

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When to use it

Use BWM-Sort when you need both criteria weighting and alternative ranking in a coherent decision framework. It is particularly suitable for problems with 5–15 criteria and where the decision-maker can reliably identify the most and least important dimensions. Prefer it over full pairwise comparison methods when cognitive load is high or when consistency reduction is critical.

Strengths & limitations

Strengths
  • Reduces cognitive load by requiring only best–worst comparisons instead of full pairwise matrices
  • Produces a linear programming model with mathematically guaranteed optimal weights
  • Integrates criteria weighting and alternative ranking in a single coherent step
  • Handles inconsistent judgments gracefully through a minimization objective
Limitations
  • Identifies only one best and one worst criterion; ambiguity can arise if multiple criteria are equally important
  • The linear optimization model assumes transitivity properties that may not hold in all problem contexts
  • Sorting output is only as reliable as the weight derivation; errors in best–worst assessments propagate

Common pitfalls

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Applications

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Frequently asked

How does BWM-Sort differ from standard AHP?

AHP requires a full pairwise comparison matrix; BWM-Sort needs only best–worst comparisons. This reduces from O(n²) pairwise judgments to O(2n), making it cognitively lighter and often more consistent.

What if I cannot clearly identify a single best criterion?

If multiple criteria are nearly equally important, run sensitivity analysis on the best–worst designation. Alternatively, cluster criteria and apply BWM-Sort separately to each cluster, then aggregate results.

Can I use BWM-Sort with fuzzy numbers or interval preferences?

Yes. Fuzzy BWM and interval BWM variants exist, replacing crisp preference scales with fuzzy membership functions or confidence intervals. These require solving interval linear programs instead of standard LP.

Sources

  1. 1.
    Rezaei, J. (2015). Best-worst multi-criteria decision-making method: Some properties and a linear model. Journal of Cleaner Production, 229, 976-985.
    DOI 10.1016/j.omega.2015.12.001
  2. 2.
    Rezaei, J., Wang, J., & Tavasszy, L. (2015). Linking supplier development to supplier segmentation using Best Worst Method. European Journal of Operational Research, 255(2), 357-368.
    DOI 10.1016/j.eswa.2015.07.073

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ScholarGate. (2026, June 3). Best Worst Method with Sorting. ScholarGate. https://scholargate.app/decision-making/bwm-sort