An Integrated MCDM Approach to PLM Software Selection

This paper presents the development of a hybrid multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) approach for Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) software selection, as an essential part of the PLM concept implementation. The approach is based on the hybrid MCDM process that integrates the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP) and the Preference Ranking Organization Method for Enrichment Evaluations (PROMETHEE). The Fuzzy AHP has been applied in order to overcome the problem of the vagueness of decision-makers' judgments in the process of the criteria relative significance assessment, whereas, the PROMETHEE method has been applied in order to evaluate the pieces of software. This paper's findings should indicate the broad possibilities of the proposed model for an objective evaluation of PLM software, on the basis of their total suitability against the global goal according to the established criteria, and capability for efficiently overcoming the problem of data vagueness that decision-makers are facing during the process.