Paired comparison is a technique which compares alternatives one to one in a tabular fashion. It is sometimes also used to compare criteria and calculate their weights. Alternatives are set-up over both table axes. When comparing one alternative with another, one can give a preference over one idea to another.

Executing the Method

  • List Alternatives

    List all alternatives on both axes.

  • Compare Alternatives

    Compare the alternatives one by one, note down the preference for a certain alternative and the possible strengths of this preference by a numerical value (best is a 1-5 scale).

  • Score Compared Alternatives

    At the bottom, add up the scores for each preferred alternative. For example, idea 2 has been preferred 2 times over other alternatives, and the values for these preferences equals 4.

  • Select Alternatives

    The idea(s) with the highest scores can be selected for further development.