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Other Software
Other Software
This page contains a list of software that supports decision
analytic approach to decision making under uncertainty. The list is
based on notes that I made when searching for software packages that
would be useful for students to get acquainted with in connection
with the class Decision Analysis and Decision Support Systems that I
am teaching in the Department of Information Science and Intelligent
Systems Program at the University of Pittsburgh. (I ended up
developing our own package for influence diagrams and Bayesian
networks,
GeNIe,
listed below.) The list is slightly slanted towards
the application of decision analytic methods in intelligent
information systems. Each software package on the list contains an
electronic link (wherever available) to the developer/vendor and my
comments. The comments are, of course, subjective and are not
necessarily right. The readers are strongly urged to comment on my
comments (please send e-mail to ).
I would also appreciate additions to the list and other relevant
information.
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Analytica is a influence diagram-based, visual
environment for creating, analyzing and communicating
probabilistic models for business, risk, and decision
analysis. It has a pleasant, intuitive interface that
includes hierarchical sub models and a variety of graphs.
Analytica is especially good when the problem at hand
requires modeling both continuous and discrete variables.
Recent additions support OLE and ODBC protocols, allowing
dynamic linking into spreadsheets and databases, and
linking to Excel's grapher to provide greater flexibility
in customizing the appearance of graphs in Analytica.
Lumina's WWW pages provide more information about the
program along with downloadable demos and example models.
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A software package implementing two approaches to
multi-attribute decision making: Analytical Hierarchy
Processes (Saaty) and Simple Multi-Attribute Rating
Technique (Edwards). Concentrates on trying to let the
user fully understand multicriteria analysis, and the
effect of uncertainty in the outcomes on the preference
over decision options. A demo version of Criterion
Decision Plus can be downloaded from InfoHarvest's web
pages.
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An add-in for Microsoft Excel. It is a risk analysis
package that performs Monte Carlo simulation and can be
used for decision modeling in any spreadsheet model. A
demo version can be downloaded from Decisioneering's web
pages.
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A program implementing both decision trees and influence
diagrams. Has a simple interface with a host of features
that enable sophisticated analysis while retaining the
interface simplicity. Offers features like sensitivity
analysis, threshold analysis, cost-effectiveness
calculations, recursive Markov processes, and Monte Carlo
simulation. A demo version (does not save models) is
available from TreeAge's web pages.
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A program implementing hierarchical decision models and
decision trees. Offers features like sensitivity analysis,
Monte Carlo simulation, data analysis, forecasting, and
optimization. A demo version is available from the
developers (can be downloaded from Vanguard web pages).
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A complete and powerful package implementing both
decision trees and influence diagrams. Three versions
are available: standard, advanced, and developer, at
different prices. A demo version (does not save models)
is available (can be downloaded from ADA web pages).
Academic editions (reduced speed versions for students
and faculty only) of DPL are sold through ITP Warehouse:
Duxbury Press, 1(800)354-9706.
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A simple, but intuitive and fast program implementing
Bayesian networks. A demo version ( does not save models)
is available from Noetic's web pages.
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Expert Choice implements the Analytical Hierarchy
Processes approach by Thomas L. Saaty. The developers
offer also Team Expert Choice, a version that is suitable
for team decision making.
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GeNie is a decision modeling environment implementing influence diagrams and Bayesian networks, developed at the Decision Systems Laboratory, University of Pittsburgh. It has an intuitive graphical interface that includes hierarchical sub models, Windows-style tree view, and a comprehensive HTML-based on-line help that includes beginners-oriented tutorials for Bayesian networks, influence diagrams, and basic decision analytic techniques. GeNie implements multi-attribute utility functions, Noisy-OR and Noisy-AND gates, value of information, and sensitivity analysis. In addition to its native file format, GeNie supports reading and writing of Hugin, Netica, and Ergo files and can be used for conversion of models among these programs. GeNie comes with SMILE (Structural Modeling, Inference, and Learning Engine) an application programmer's interface (API) library of C++ classes that allows object-oriented software development based on decision-analytic techniques. SMILE is also available as an ActiveX control, SmileX, that allows building custom decision support applications under Windows in any programming language, including but not limited to Java, Visual Basic, HTML pages, and Excel spreadsheets.
GeNIe, SMILE, and SmileX are available free of charge
for non-commercial use, such as teaching, research,
and personal use and can be downloaded from
GeNIe & SMILE
Web site. Commercial applications require a license
from Decision Systems Laboratory. The package includes
several large Bayesian network and influence diagrams
models, useful in teaching. GeNIe implementation of
all influence diagrams from the textbook Making Hard
Decisions by Robert T. Clemen can be found
here.
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Hugin implements Bayesian networks and influence diagrams.
It is very fast and comes with an application programmer's
interface (API) C programmer's library that allows
software development around Hugin. Demo version (does not
save models consisting of more than 90 states) is
available from Hugin' s web pages. Hugin web site contains
also several Bayesian networks and influence diagrams
models, useful in teaching decision analysis.
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Logical Decisions is a decision structuring tool
implementing multi-attribute utility analysis with a
powerful graphical interface. It integrates the Tradeoff,
SMART, SMARTER, and A HP methods for weight assessment.
It provides a graphical objectives hierarchy and has many
features and displays. A demo version can be requested
from the developer through Logical Decisions' web page.
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A powerful program implementing Bayesian networks and
influence diagrams. Allows for specifying the interaction
among variables in terms of conditional probabilities,
equations, or data files of observations (the conditional
probability distributions will be learned from these
observations). It is very fast and comes with an
application programmer's library (API) C programmer's
interface that allows software development around Netica.
A demo version (does not save models consisting of more
than 15 variables and does not load models larger than
50 variables) is available from Norsy's web pages. Norsy's
web site contains also several Bayesian networks and
influence diagrams models, useful in teaching decision
analysis.
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An add-in for Microsoft Excel that allows you to build
decision trees and influence diagrams directly in the
spreadsheet. A tutorial (slide presentations on the
software, not a usable demo version) is available from
the developers (can be downloaded from their World Wide
Web pages). Palisades offer the Analytical PowerTools
Interactive CD for PCs, a multimedia guided tour through
all their products, as well as information about all the
products listed in their Analytical PowerTools catalog.
The CD can be requested one through their website. See
also @RISK on this page.
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Xbaies version 2 is a program for building chain
graph-networks of discrete random variables and
multistage discrete decision networks, and uses
junction tree propagation for inference and finding
optimal decisions. There are many features implemented
for learning and monitoring probabilities of given
networks. Specification of decision problems is
similar to that of influence diagrams, but, instead
of diagramatically including information arcs, the
natural ordering in which the decisions are taken and
random variables are revealed is specified numerically.
Optimal decisions (and also sub optimal decisions) may
be read off by inspection of values in the cliques of
a junction tree.
Restrictions: Free for educational establishment use
for education and research only; any commercial use
forbidden.
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An add-in for Lotus 1-2-3 or Microsoft Excel. It is a
Risk Analysis package that performs Monte Carlo
simulation and can be used for decision modeling in any
spreadsheet model. A tutorial (slide presentations on
the software, not a usable demo version) is available
from the developers ( can be downloaded from their World
Wide Web pages). Palisades offer the Analytical PowerTools
Interactive CD for PCs, a multimedia guided tour through
all their products, as well as information about all the
products listed in their Analytical Power Tools catalog.
The CD can be requested one through their website. See
also PrecisionTree on this page.
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