What is the purpose of a Decision Matrix?

• A. To manage project timelines
• B. To compare design solutions against criteria
• C. To write the technical report
• D. To estimate manufacturing cost

Answer: (B)

The main idea is to use a decision matrix to compare design options against defined criteria in a structured, quantitative way. You lay out the important criteria—such as performance, cost, manufacturability, reliability, and risk—and then rate each design concept on how well it meets each criterion. By weighting criteria to reflect their importance, you convert judgments into a numeric score for each option. Summing these scores gives an objective basis to choose the design that best satisfies the overall goals and to show the rationale to stakeholders. This approach helps reveal trade-offs (for example, a high-performance option that’s expensive versus a cheaper, simpler one) and supports a well-documented decision.