Autonomic group decision making using impedance scores

Abstract

A method for autonomic group decision making may include presenting a plurality of decision options and receiving at least one decision option selected by each decision maker. A decision result may be presented including an indication of the preference for each option. Each decision maker may be allowed to revise the previously selected option for convergence to a single decision option for the group. An impedance score is determined for each decision maker in response to a decision maker selecting a different decision option. The impedance score may be based on one or more actions by the decision maker regarding selecting the decision option. A level of the impedance score indicates either progress toward or away from convergence. The impedance score may be revised each time a revised option is selected. The single decision option may be presented in response to the decision makers converging on the single decision option.

1 . A method for autonomic group decision making, comprising:
 presenting, by a computer system, a plurality of decision options to each decision maker of a group of decision makers;   receiving, by the computer system, at least one decision option selected by each decision maker from the plurality of decision options;   presenting, by the computer system, a decision making result to each decision maker, the decision making result comprising an indication of the preference for each of the decision options by the group of decision makers;   allowing, by the computer system, each decision maker to revise the at least one decision option previously selected by the decision maker for convergence to a single decision option by the group of decision makers;   determining, by the computer system, an impedance score for each decision maker in response to at least one decision maker selecting a different at least one decision option from one previously selected, the impedance score of each decision maker being based on at least one action of a set of actions by the decision maker regarding selecting the at least one decision option, wherein a level of the impedance score indicates either a progression toward convergence to the single decision option or away from convergence to the single decision option by the decision maker associated with the impedance score;   revising, by the computer system, the impedance score for a particular decision maker each time the particular decision maker selects a revised at least one decision option; and   presenting, by the computer system, the single decision option in response to the decision makers converging on the single decision option.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a lower impedance score indicates the at least one action of the set of actions by the decision maker progressing toward convergence to the single decision option and a higher impedance score indicates the at least one action of the set actions by the decision maker moving away from convergence to the single decision option, the set of actions for lowering the impedance score comprising:
 changing to the at least one decision option selected by a greater number of decision makers;   a shorter time duration between selecting the revised at least one decision option than selecting a previous at least one decision option in progression toward convergence of the single decision option;   selecting a larger number of preferred decision options than previously selected;   foregoing an option to rank preferred selections of a group of decision options; and   modifying the at least one decision option to accommodate the selection of other decision makers for converging on the single decision option in less than a preset time period.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 presenting a revised decision making result each time at least one decision maker selects a different at least one decision option from one previously selected until the group of decision makers converge on the single decision option or expiration of a preset time period before the decision makers converge on the single decision option;   determining a revised impedance score for affected decision makers in response to the at least one decision maker selecting the different at least one decision option; and   presenting the revised impedance score for each affected decision maker to at least the affected decision maker.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising selecting the single decision option in response to the expiration of the preset time period, the single decision option being selected based on the at least one decision option selected last by each decision maker and the impedance score of each decision maker, wherein the impedance score of the decision maker is used to weight the last at least one decision option by the decision maker to provide a score, the lower impedance score corresponding to a higher weight, the at least one decision option with the highest score being selected as the single decision option. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one decision option selected by each decision maker comprises a multiplicity of decision options selected by each decision maker, and wherein selecting the single decision option in response to expiration of the preset time period comprises:
 determining a weighting associated with each decision maker based on the impedance score of each decision maker;   assigning a value to each of the multiplicity of decision options based on a preference for a particular decision option by each decision maker, a highest preferred decision option being assigned a highest value and a lowest preferred decision option being assigned a lowest value;   calculating a score for each of the multiplicity of decision options selected by each decision maker by multiplying the weighting associated with the decision maker by the value of each of the multiplicity of decision options selected by the decision maker; and   adding the scores from each decision maker for each respective decision option of the multiplicity of decision options selected by each decision maker, wherein the decision option having the highest score is selected as the single decision option.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the weighting for a particular decision maker is determined by I−(I dm −I min /I range ), wherein I dm  is the impedance score of the particular decision maker, I min  is a minimum impedance score and I range  is a range from a lowest impedance score to a highest impedance score for the group of decision makers. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the impedance score comprises dynamically determining a new impedance score during a decision making process based on the convergence to the single decision option in response to a different at least one decision option being selected by at least one of the group of decision makers. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a multiplicity of decision options selected by each decision maker, wherein the multiplicity of decision options are ranked by each decision maker based on a preference for each of the multiplicity of decision options;   assigning a value to each of the multiplicity of decision options from each decision maker based on the preference for each of the multiplicity of decision options by each decision maker; and   determining the single decision option based on the impedance score for each decision maker and the assigned value of each of the multiplicity of decision options of each decision maker.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein assigning the value to each of the multiplicity of decision options from each decision maker comprises assigning a highest preference value to a highest preferred decision option by each decision maker and assigning a lowest preference value to each lowest preferred decision option. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein allowing each decision maker to revise the at least one decision option selected by the decision maker for convergence to the single decision option comprises presenting a graphical user interface to each decision maker comprising:
 a number of decision makers that selected each decision option;   the impedance score for at least the decision maker; and   a feature for selecting a different at least one decision option from the at least one decision option previously selected by the decision maker.   
     
     
         11 .- 20 . (canceled)