Perceptual commensuration in decision tables

Abstract

This paper calls attention to design features that could enhance the helpfulness of the decision table to decision makers trying to get a better intuitive grasp of the choices facing them. The experiments reported here show that the grey scale is more facilitative than the number scale for problem comprehension as measured by the identification of dominance and the identification of non-additivity, each of which requires a view of the decision problem that is sensitive to patterns across attributes. Additional design features that could enhance the decision makers’ grasp of the choices facing them are suggested for further research.

KEYWORDS:

• Decision tables
• Decision aids
• Information presentation format

Notes

¹Put somewhat differently, for greater sensitivity to these interactions with colours than with numbers to demonstrate a genuine superiority for colours, it is not necessary that the judgments be objectively correct; they may be subjective value judgments, for which inter-subject agreement is here taken as a measure. Analogously, for greater sensitivity to line lengths in full illumination than in dim illumination to demonstrate a genuine superiority for full illumination, it is not necessary for the judgments to be objectively correct; they may well be judgments in the Müller-Lyer test.