The new fuzzy Delphi methods: economization of GDS (group decision support)

From the viewpoint of managing GDS (group decision support), the author attempts to economize the decision making on the part of a group of experts while maintaining the quality of their decisions, i.e., their forecasting, by introducing a fuzzy Delphi method. By doing so, the interaction time and the time for information exchange can also be remarkably saved. The author examines both the developmental objectives and the developmental process of this method, and discusses how to determine the membership functions. Two algorithms are proposed, one via max-min normativism and the other via fuzzy integration, along with the required steps to be taken, by virtue of the fuzzy Delphi method, it has turned out to be possible to decrease the number of repetitive surveys and/or interviews. Moreover, the internal structure to be analyzed can be observed on a multilateral basis and thus the selection procedure of the results has become easier