Linguistic multi-criteria decision-making model with output variable expressive richness

In general, traditional decision-making models are based on methods that perform calculations on quantitative measures. These methods are usually applied to assess possible solutions to a problem, resulting in a ranking of alternatives. However, when it comes to making decisions about qualitative measures –such as service quality–, the quantitative assessment is a bit difficult to interpret. Therefore, taking into account the maturity of the linguistic assessment models, this paper puts forth a new solution proposal. It is a decision-making model that uses linguistic labels –represented with the 2-tuple notation– and a variable expressive richness when providing output results. This solution allows expressing results in a manner closer to the human cognitive system. To achieve this goal, a mechanism has been implemented for measuring the distance among the aggregate ratings, providing the decision-maker with a fast and intuitive answer. The proposal is illustrated with an application example based on the TOPSIS model, using linguistic labels throughout the entire process.