Final answer:
The AHP process involves a hierarchical structure with the main components being the goal at the top, followed by criteria, subcriteria, and alternatives at the bottom. These enable decision-makers to model their judgment, prioritize elements, and make a structured decision.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) is a structured technique for helping people deal with complex decisions. It uses a multi-level hierarchical structure of objectives, criteria, subcriteria, and alternatives to help quantify and evaluate the various components involved in the decision-making process.
Components of Hierarchy in AHP
- Goal: The top level of the hierarchy represents the main objective or goal of the decision process.
- Criteria: These are the factors considered when making a decision that helps in comparing the alternatives.
- Subcriteria: Sub-divisions of the criteria that provide a more detailed breakdown of the factors influencing the decision.
- Alternatives: These are the available options or choices that are competing for selection.
Each of the above components is used to build a model that participants can use to assign weights and calculate priorities, ultimately leading to a ranked list of alternatives based on the overall goal.