InterCriteria Analysis is a novel approach of decision making support, defined in 2014 in Bulgaria, and based on two mathematical formalisms:

  • the algebraic apparatus of index matrices for processing of data arrays of diverse dimensions,
  • and the intuitionistic fuzzy sets as a mathematical tool for handling uncertainty.

Under this approach, arrays of data, obtained by the measurement of multiple objects against multiple criteria, are processed to calculate for all pairs of criteria intuitionistic fuzzy pair of values in the [0;1]-interval that correspond to the levels of positive consonance, negative consonance and dissonance between each pair of criteria. In this form, the approach renders account of the uncertainty that is inherent to most of the modelled real life processes and objects.

InterCriteria Analysis is designed to handle problems, where measuring the objects according to a part of the criteria are slower, more expensive, more subjective or in other ways more unfavourable than others, which results in delaying or raising the cost of the overall process of decision making. When solving such problems it is necessary to adopt an approach for reasonable objective elimination of these criteria, in order to achieve economy and efficiency while keeping the precision of the decision making process.

Over the past years of research, the approach has already demonstrated evidences of its potential, when applied to economic, biomedical, pharmaceutical, industrial, and various other data sets and problem formulations. One of the research objectives is specifying the general framework of the problems best addressable by the approach and the connections between the new approach and the multicriteria decision making methods and types of correlation analyses. Another research objective is the development of software applications, implementing the InterCriteria Analysis approach, and approbating it with real case studies.

As of 2014, three projects funded by the National Science Fund of Bulgaria have been successfully applied and implemented in order to support the theoretical research and various applications of the approach. The site offers exhaustive list of the publications and dissemination activities stemming from the research on InterCriteria Analysis.