Mahmood, Adnan2012-02-012012-02-012011-12https://hdl.handle.net/11299/120150University of Minnesota M.S. thesis. December 2011. Major: Engineering Management. Advisor: Dr. Hongyi Chen. 1 computer file (PDF); vii, 104 pages.Decision making can be regarded as the mental processes (cognitive process) resulting in the selection of a course of action among several alternative scenarios. Every decision making process produces a final choice. The output can be an action or an opinion of choice. To facilitate multi-criteria multi-level decision makings, different algorithms including the Hierarchical Decision Modeling (HDM) and its Sensitivity Analysis (HDM SA) have been developed. This research project implements the HDM and HDM SA algorithms developed by Dr. Dundar F. Kocaoglu and Dr. Hongyi Chen in software application to ease the cognitive burden of the users and assist decision makers in effective decision making. The project is carried out from the conception stage to the final manifestation of the software in a planned and structured process. Its application is demonstrated through two examples, one using a complete hierarchy to assess technologies and the other using an incomplete hierarchy to create a technology development envelope. A user guide of the software application is included at the end of this thesis.en-USEngineering ManagementThesis or Dissertation