A custom assessment applies the complete GIS-MCDA workflow to any spatial decision problem. Criteria, constraints, scoring functions and weights are defined in the project, without predefined suggestions.
OutputMap per category and a combined result map
DecisionDefined by the study
ScaleDefined by the study
Built forAny spatial decision problem
What the project defines
Every element of the analysis is set in the project and documented in the report.
Criteria
Factors that influence the decision, grouped into user-defined categories.
Constraints
Areas excluded from the analysis regardless of their score.
Scoring
Functions that convert each criterion to a common scale, in the direction that fits the problem.
Weights
Relative importance of criteria and categories, set by analysts or by a stakeholder survey.
Starting points
Copy
Criteria, constraints and weights can be copied from any other project accessible to the user.
Switch
A custom assessment can later be changed to a predefined application, which adds its suggestions; criteria already in the project remain unchanged.
Examples
Published studies show complete analyses, from data to results, and can be opened in read-only mode.
From criteria to result
- CriteriaStandardised to a common scale
- Category mapsWeights within each category give its map
- Result mapWeights between the categories combine the category maps
- Candidate areasContiguous areas of very high score in which no criterion falls below a minimum value
Everything else works as in the predefined applications: the reference grid, the data checks, weighting scenarios, candidate areas, sensitivity analysis and the documented export.
Results
The result classes rank the locations within the study area. Whether high scores mean suitability, priority or risk is defined in the project and stated in the report.
Typical questions
- Where can a new facility, such as a treatment plant or a landfill, be sited?
- Which areas offer suitable habitat for a species?
- Where do renewable energy installations conflict least with other land uses?
- Which areas should a restoration programme address first?
Case stories
No case stories for this application yet.
References
- Malczewski, J. (2006). GIS-based multicriteria decision analysis: a survey of the literature. International Journal of Geographical Information Science 20(7), 703–726. doi:10.1080/13658810600661508
- Malczewski, J., Rinner, C. (2015). Multicriteria Decision Analysis in Geographic Information Science. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg.
- Saaty, T.L. (1980). The Analytic Hierarchy Process. McGraw-Hill, New York.
Start a custom project
Select “Custom assessment” when creating a project and define the criteria in step 2.