Evaluation Matrix

An important tool you can use to

make informed decisions
 Decisions Can Be Difficult

• When making a choice among several

options, it helps to know at the outset what
is of greater or lesser importance to you
• Most of us cannot “have it all”
• The “yardsticks” you will use to measure how
each option rates on different factors can be
called criteria (singular is “criterion”)
 Car Purchase

• Some factors (criteria) that may be

important:
– Gas mileage
– Seating capacity
– Cost
– Warranty
– Cost of maintenance
– Cargo capacity
 College Transfer Choices

• Cost
• Programs Offered
• Transferable Credits
• Housing
• Legacy
• Campus Activities
 Device
• Speed
• Memory
• Features
• Cost
• Brand reputation
• Operating system
• Style
• Warranty
 Your Thing
• Some factors (criteria) that may be
important:
 Determine your criteria and construct a
matrix in Excel. Each criteria will be given a
weight to reflect its relative importance

Evaluation Matrix for Purchasing a Device

Criteria Weight System 1 System 2 System 3
Weighted Weighted Weighted
Rating score Rating score Rating score

processor speed
memory capacity
multimedia capability
vendor support
initial cost
Totals
Memory capacity is our most important criteria so
receives the highest weight. Cost, while still a
concern, is not as critical as other factors.

Evaluation Matrix for Purchasing a Device

Criteria Weight System 1 System 2 System 3
Weighted Weighted Weighted

Rating Score Rating Score Rating Score

processor speed 25%

memory capacity 30%

multimedia capability 15%
vendor support 20%
initial cost 10%
Totals 100%
Rank the 3 systems on how well they meet criteria.
System 1 did well on speed and cost, but poor on
memory (important to us!). System 2 was good on
memory but poor on vendor support.
Evaluation Matrix for Purchasing a Computer
Criteria Weight System 1 System 2 System 3
Weighted Weighted Weighted

Rating Score Rating Score Rating Score

processor speed 25% 90 75 75

memory capacity 30% 60 90 80
multimedia capability 15% 75 75 60
vendor support 20% 75 60 75
initial cost 10% 85 75 80
Totals 100%
 At this point you could total the ratings to get a
raw score. This shows that System 1 scored the
best.

Evaluation Matrix for Purchasing a Computer

Criteria Weight System 1 System 2 System 3
Weighted Weighted Weighted

Rating Score Rating Score Rating Score

processor speed 25% 90 75 75

memory capacity 30% 60 90 80
multimedia capability 15% 75 75 60
vendor support 20% 75 60 75
initial cost 10% 85 75 80
Totals 100% 385 375 370
You should compute a weighted score by
multiplying the weight you assigned times the
rating you gave for a criteria.

Evaluation Matrix for Purchasing a Computer

Criteria Weight System 1 System 2 System 3
Weighted Weighted Weighted

Rating Score Rating Score Rating Score

processor speed 25% 90 22.50% 75 18.75% 75 18.75%

memory capacity 30% 60 18.00% 90 27.00% 80 24.00%
multimedia capability 15% 75 11.25% 75 11.25% 60 9.00%
vendor support 20% 75 15.00% 60 12.00% 75 15.00%
initial cost 10% 85 8.50% 75 7.50% 80 8.00%
Totals 100% 385 375 370
Sum up the weighted scores and a winner will
emerge. System 2 appears to meet more of the
criteria that we weighted as important to us.

Evaluation Matrix for Purchasing a Computer

Criteria Weight System 1 System 2 System 3
Weighted Weighted Weighted

Rating Score Rating Score Rating Score

processor speed 25% 90 22.50% 75 18.75% 75 18.75%

memory capacity 30% 60 18.00% 90 27.00% 80 24.00%
multimedia capability 15% 75 11.25% 75 11.25% 60 9.00%
vendor support 20% 75 15.00% 60 12.00% 75 15.00%
initial cost 10% 85 8.50% 75 7.50% 80 8.00%
Totals 100% 385 72.25% 375 76.5% 370 74.75%
The summed up weighted score
give a better result because it
shows the one that rated the
highest on things that were
important to us!