Preferences and their application in evolutionary multiobjective optimization

The paper describes a new preference method and its use in multiobjective optimization. These preferences are developed with a goal to reduce the cognitive overload associated with the relative importance of a certain criterion within a multiobjective design environment involving large numbers of objectives. Their successful integration with several genetic-algorithm-based design search and optimization techniques (weighted sums, weighted Pareto, weighted co-evolutionary methods, and weighted scenarios) are described and theoretical results relating to complexity and sensitivity of the algorithm are presented and discussed. Its usefulness was demonstrated in a real-world project of conceptual airframe design.