kriteeriarvoja

Kriteeriarvo, and when referring to multiple values the term kriteeriarvot or kriteeriarvoja is used, denotes the value assigned to a criterion in evaluation and decision-making frameworks. A kriteeriarvo represents the degree of performance, quality, importance, or suitability on a given criterion and can be expressed on numerical, ordinal, or qualitative scales.

In practice, kriteeriarvoja are used to compare options and to aggregate information across several criteria. They are often derived from data, expert judgment, stakeholder preferences, or benchmarking, and they may be adjusted as new information becomes available. To enable meaningful comparisons, values are frequently normalized to a common scale, such as 0–1 or 1–5, when different criteria use different measurement units.

Kriteeriarvoja are central in many decision-support contexts, including multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA), procurement, project appraisal, performance management, risk assessment, and policy evaluation. The method chosen to combine kriteeriarvoja—such as simple weighted sums, or more sophisticated techniques like TOPSIS, ELECTRE, or AHP—depends on the decision problem and the preferred normative framework. Regardless of the method, transparency about how criteria are defined, how values are measured, and how they are aggregated is essential to ensure consistency and defensibility of the resulting decision.

In summary, kriteeriarvoja are the evaluative building blocks that quantify how well options meet each criterion, enabling structured comparison and informed choices.