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MENTAL MODEL · M6522

Best-Worst Method

Best-Worst Method
Learn & MetacognitionHigh supportCognitive Science
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Updated 2026-08-10

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INTRODUCTION

English translation pending.

CORE DEFINITION

The best-worst method, a multi-criteria decision method introduced by Jafar Rezaei in 2015, derives criterion weights from a small number of structured comparisons. The decision maker identifies the best and the worst criterion, rates how much the best is preferred to each of the others, and rates how much each of the others is preferred to the worst. An optimisation then finds the weights most consistent with those ratings. Because only two reference criteria are used, the method needs only 2n-3 comparisons instead of the n(n-1)/2 pairwise comparisons required by AHP, and it usually produces more consistent weights.

SCAFFOLDING EFFECT

psychology

Reduce cognitive load

- Anchor the ends: choose the single best and the single worst criterion first. - Compare to the anchors: rate every remaining criterion against those two anchors only. - Solve for weights: run the optimisation and check the resulting consistency ratio carefully.

anchor

Anchor fast decisions

Pairwise comparison methods become burdensome as the number of criteria grows, because every pair must be judged and the judgements drift out of consistency. Restricting the comparisons to two reference points reduces the cognitive load and keeps the decision maker anchored on the same scale throughout. The resulting integer ratings over-determine the weights, so the optimisation finds the vector that minimises the largest inconsistency. Fewer judgements and a built-in consistency check together produce weights that are both easier to elicit and more stable.

MINIMUM ACTION

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Source support: Explicit

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    en.wikipedia.orghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Best_worst_methodZH · Explicit
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