A multi-attribute decision-making model for the robust classification of multiple inputs and outputs datasets with uncertainty

摘要

Many multiple-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods have been proposed for decision-making environments. However, the performance of these methods is degraded by the uncertainty and inaccuracy which characterizes most practical decision-making environments as a result of the inherent prejudices and preferences of the decision-makers or experts and an insufficient volume of multiple inputs and outputs (MIO) information. Accordingly, the present study proposes an enhanced MIO classification method to address these limitations of existing MCDM methods. The proposed MIO classification method designated as the FVM-index method integrates fuzzy set theory (FST), variable precision rough set (VPRS) theory, and a modified cluster validity index (MCVI) function, and is designed specifically to filter out the uncertainty and inaccuracy inherent in the surveyed MIO real-valued dataset; thereby improving the classification performance. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is first demonstrated by comparing the MIO classification results obtained for three relating UCI datasets: (1) the original dataset; (2) a dataset with a large amount of inaccurate instances; and (3) an FVM-index filtered dataset extracted from the original dataset using a statistical approach. Then, the validity of the proposed approach is illustrated by using an Augmented Reality product design and a hospital related datasets. The results confirm that the proposed FVM-index method provides a good classification performance even in the presence of inaccuracy and uncertainty. As a result, it provides a robust approach for the extraction of reliable decision-making rules. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.