Weighted Linear Combination

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A Weighted Linear Combination is a method that can be used when dealing with multi-attribute decision making (MADM), when more than one attribute must be taken into consideration, for example, a land suitability analysis. Every attribute that must be considered is called a criterion. Each criterion is assigned a weight based on its importance. The results are multi-attribute spatial features with final scores. The higher the score the more suitable the area. For example you would first asssign numeric ranges to a set of continuos criteria. Then afterwards you combine the numeric ranges into a wieghted average. The designer can then assign wieghts directly to each attribute layer on his map. The total score for each option is calculated by multiplying the weight assigned to each attribute by the scaled value given for that attribute to the alternative and then summing the products over all attributes. The scores are calculated for all of the alternatives and then the attribute with the highest score can be chosen. You can use this method in any GIS system that has overlay capabilities, and allows the evaluation criterion map layers to be combined in order to determine the composite map layer which is output.^[1]

[edit] References

1. ↑ Drobne, S. Lisec, A. Multi-attribute Decision Analysis in GIS: Weighted Linear Combination and Ordered Weighted Averaging. Informatica 33 (2009) 459–474

[edit] External links

• Spatial Decision Support Knowledge Portal Weighted Linear Combination
• [http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1467-9671.00035/pdf On the Use of Weighted Linear Combination Method in GIS: Common

and Best Practice Approaches Jacek Malczewski,Transactions in GIS, 2000, 4(1): 5±22]