KnowCube: a visual and interactive support for multicriteria decision making

In this paper, we present a novel multicriteria decision support system (MCDSS), called knowCube, consisting of components for knowledge organization, generation, and navigation. Knowledge organization rests upon a database for managing qualitative and quantitative criteria, together with add-on information. Knowledge generation serves filling the database via, e.g. identification, optimization, classification or simulation. For finding needles in haycocks, the knowledge navigation component supports graphical database retrieval and interactive, goal-oriented problem solving. Navigation helpers are, for instance, cascading criteria aggregations, modifiable metrics, ergonomic interfaces, and customizable visualizations. Examples from real-life projects, e.g. in industrial engineering and in the life sciences, illustrate the application of our MCDSS. (C) 2003 Published by Elsevier Ltd.