**5. Conclusion**

*MakeItRational, easy-mind* and *SelectPro*, e.g. are convincing due to their very intuitive handling and step-by-step operating methods. The commands are obvious to find and easy to understand, mostly supported by helping functions or assistants. In general, the initiation period to operate with these programs is very short. Among all software products, *MakeItRational* is the most intuitive and the less complex. Besides, it provides more visualization and export

But especially when BOCR modelling or ANP is needed within the decision process, *SuperDecisions* is the only alternative within which these functions are implemented. Additionally, it offers more possibilities and functions than *MakeItRational* that go beyond the pure AHP application. But, this charges at learnability and operability. Furthermore, this product provides no group decision-making support, which is handled best and most detailed by *SelectPro*, being in this respect a good alternative to MakeItRational. It is the most professional in rating, calculating the mean and comparing the single votes. Besides, it scores by its transparency, showing current results at every time and on every level as comparable data as well as

**4. ANP-based evaluation assisted by parallel and distributed computing**

The described procedure comprised the structuring of software quality criteria and an evaluation of alternative AHP-supporting software products in the multi-personnel framework of a Management Science Department of a medium-sized university. This proceeding delivers an object of reference to solve such structuring and evaluation problems in a modified situation by assistance of parallel and/or distributed computing architecture [7]. If the number of experts, whose requirements towards alternative software products diverge, essentially enhances (compared with the state of affairs in the aforementioned department) and/or if the complexity of the network structure relevant for the evaluation increases considerably, such a

Problems to be solved on a strategic decision level with a demand for scientific computing might attain a degree of complexity that distributed computing architectures are to be recommended. The more complex the ANP-network structure, the more the modelled problem delivers connecting factors for such architectures. With its possibilities to intensify the "interaction" among different criteria [7, 40], their interlacing can be represented within and between the ANP-clusters more clearly. Thus, distributed computing would help to cope with increasing complexity of

The higher the number of experts and the variety of their requirements for software quality, the more advantageous would be a parallel computing [7] which enables faster computational results [40]. Such computing architectures can support learning processes among the members of an expert group which evaluate the quality of alternative software products simultaneously

possibilities and has the best error protection.

106 Recent Progress in Parallel and Distributed Computing

computing architecture would be advantageous.

multi-criteria-decision relevant network structures.

within the framework of a multi-personnel, interactive process.

graphically.

MCDM-DSS is an important tool aid for solving complex strategic decision problems as, e.g. arising in a Management Science Department of a medium-sized university. Such a support has to suffice the heterogeneous teaching and research tasks of different persons in different functions with deviating experiences, requirements and preferences. For these tasks and the inhered strategic decisions, AHP and ANP are suitable decision support methods. Problems on a standard level of complexity should be solved by AHP, whereby an increasing connectivity induces the application of ANP. Both approaches are subject to a growing importance. At this time, AHP is relatively more important than ANP in the literature due to less sophisticated mathematical calculations but also to a longer existence of the method. A vast number of strategic decision problems can be handled with AHP. Therefore, an adequate DSS is necessary for ensuring mathematical correct method application as well as to bring forward the application of this method.

Owing to the great variety of AHP-DSS, the aim of this paper was a transparent evaluation of five heterogeneous products from the point of view of the members of a Management Science Department. In this context, it was not the aim to give a generalized recommendation for one of these products, but to highlight the distinctive differences and special features of the evaluated products. Thereby, criteria have been derived from ISO/IEC norm and used. As the evaluation was considered as a problem with a higher complexity (connectivity), the ANP was used. In order to integrate the specifically inclined states of knowledge of different department members and to ensure a higher degree of inter-subjectivity, five members of the academic staff with different teaching and research experiences and functions estimated (inter-)dependencies between criteria of software quality. Then, a rating of randomly selected software products as for the fulfilment of the quality criteria took place. To improve the ANP modelling regarding the identification of (inter-)dependencies as well as to meet the requirements of the group members, DEMATEL as the second most important ANP auxiliary tool was added to the evaluation framework. With a combination of DEMATEL and ANP (DANP), a solid framework for the multi-personnel evaluation has been established. Against the backdrop of a certain need of AHP-DSS and a certain lack of adequate software evaluations, the application of DANP to supply the need was pointed out.

It has become clear that the development of further ANP-DSS products can be advised, as well as an integration of DEMATEL into the DSS of AHP and ANP. Furthermore, there is a need for case studies in the field of DEMATEL combined with AHP and ANP which can further clarify and highlight the potential of such a combination and facilitate its usage in practice. The more experts with diverging software quality requirements are sharing the structuring and evaluating process, the more advantageous it would be to assist the procedure by parallel computing architectures. And with increasing complexity of the quality criteria's network, the development of such a structure by an expert group will be more efficient if supported by distributed computing architectures.
