Understanding the analytic hierarchy process One of the best known methods of multi criteria decision making is the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). This method provides a convenient and versatile framework for modelling multi criteria decision problems evaluating alternatives and deriving final priorities. Rather than imposing a correct decision AHP allows the user to create a ranking of alternatives then choose the one which is the best (or among the best). At the core of AHP is a pairwise comparisons (PC) method. This is an old technique known in various forms since at least the Middle Ages. AHP uses and develops the PC method. The aim of Understanding Analytic Hierarchy Process is to provide the reader with a critical guide to AHP. In this book the AHP method is considered primarily as a mathematical technique supporting the decision making process. Key Features Collects the ideas underpinning the AHP method and discusses them together with many improvements and extensions present in the literature. As a result the reader will receive a much more complete picture of the method. Aimed at theorists and advanced practitioners from a wide range of scientific fields including the social management and technical sciences Highlights the intuitive assumptions underlying the mathematical methods that make up AHP and the pairwise comparisons method Provides software code for readers who wish to practise AHP analysis using Wolfram Language