Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory
DEMATEL (Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory) is a weight subjective multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) method introduced by Gabus, A., Fontela, E. in 1972. It turns a decision matrix of alternatives scored on multiple criteria into a structured, reproducible result.
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Method map
The neighbourhood of related methods — select a node to explore.
When to use it
DEMATEL produces: (1) Weights from normalised prominence P_i; (2) Causal map — criteria with E_i > 0 belong to the cause group (drivers), those with E_i < 0 to the effect group (receivers). The causal map is the primary insight; weights are secondary.
Strengths & limitations
- Follows a transparent, reproducible computational procedure that can be audited step by step.
- Handles multiple criteria of differing scales and units within a single decision matrix.
- Results depend on the chosen normalisation, weights, and parameter settings.
Sources
- Gabus, A., Fontela, E. (1972). World problems, an invitation to further thought within the framework of DEMATEL. Battelle Geneva Research Centre, Geneva, Switzerland link ↗
How to cite this page
ScholarGate. (2026, June 2). Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory. ScholarGate. https://scholargate.app/en/decision-making/dematel
Which method?
Set this method beside its closest kin and read them side by side — the library lays the books on the table; the choice is yours.
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