How to make a decision with weighted criteria.

01Why weight the criteria?

In a list of pros and cons every argument counts the same, and in practice that is not the case. When choosing a methodology for a thesis, for example, the time available may weigh more than originality, or the other way round. Weighting means giving each criterion the weight it has for you and comparing the options on that balance.

Doing it methodically has three advantages:

• You make your priorities visible, because you have to decide how much each criterion matters.
• You compare on the same scale, because every option is assessed against the same criteria.
• You know when your decision would change, because you see the threshold beyond which another option moves ahead.

1. Describe the decision
2. Weigh the options
3. Adjust the weights
4. Read the scores
5. Find the tipping point

02How to use The Balance in 5 steps

1. Describe the decision

   Write down the decision in front of you and the options you are torn between, for example which journal to submit an article to or which methodology to use in your thesis.

2. Weigh the options

   Press Weigh. The tool draws out the criteria at stake and scores each option against them.

3. Adjust the weights

   Under How much each criterion weighs you have a control for each one. Move them according to your priorities: the ranking of the options updates instantly.

4. Read the scores

   Under How the options stand, each score is a weighted average calculated by your browser, not by the AI. Next to each option you will see What this rests on, the reasons behind each score.

5. Find the tipping point

   The section Where it turns over shows how much a criterion would need to weigh for the ranking to change. Also review What this does not weigh, which covers what the method leaves out but still matters.

Deciding well is not about finding the perfect option, but about knowing what you are willing to give up.

03Example: choosing where to publish an article

A researcher is torn between two journals for his first article. This is how he could read what the tool finds:

What appears	Example	How to use it
The criteria	Journal prestige, review time, open access and fit with the topic.	Check that no criterion that matters to him is missing.
The current ranking	Journal A is narrowly ahead, thanks to its prestige.	Read the reasons for each score and correct any that do not hold up.
The tipping point	Journal B moves ahead if review time gains a little more weight.	Ask himself honestly how much publishing soon matters.
What it does not weigh	His thesis supervisor’s view of each journal.	Ask for it before deciding.

04Tips to get the most out of it

• Describe the options well. The more specific you are about each one, the better grounded the scores will be.
• Correct the scores that do not hold up. They are reasoned estimates, not measurements. Read them with their reasons in front of you.
• Look at the tipping point, not just the winner. Knowing the weight at which your decision changes turns a vague preference into a clear criterion.
• Use it with your students. It is a good way to teach them to justify a choice, such as the topic of a project or the source for an assignment.