Selection Matrix

Agenda (80 Minutes)

• (10 minutes) Introducing Selection Matrix
• (70 minutes) Group Meeting

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1. Selection Matrix

Decisions will need to be made for every project. Often these decisions need to be made to close your loops. This assignment you show you how to create a selection matrix not only help make a decision but communicate how the decision is made. It is expected that a similar selection matrix will be included in your final report as a main component and/or an appendix. For some projects your selection matrix may even be the biggest deliverable your team will provide.

The goal of this Friday project is to build a selection matrix and pick a tutorial your team will add to the DTTD git repository. We will be adding the tutorials in later weeks.

Step 1: Brainstorm Tutorial Ideas

In your teams brainstorm tools that you may need for your projects. Specifically focus on any open loops you may have and tools that you will need to learn. You also want to pick a tutorial that future students will find useful.

Your goal is to find a minimum of around 3 tools (no max but more than 12 may be a lot) you would consider for your project. You may consider an existing tool in the DTTD but you will need to make a significant contribution or addition to the tutorial. The best tools are those that may be used in future classes so that future students may learn from your tutorial.

Step 2: Brainstorm selection metrics

Identify selection criteria you will use to pick your tutorial. Try your best to use quantifiable metrics but simple True/False or Yes/No attributes can also work.

Step 3: Build Matrix

The rows (or columns) of your matrix should be contain a list of the tutorials your group brainstormed. The columns (or rows) will be

Step 4: Write a Report about your decision process

Header

Short title (include team name and member names)

Options

List of tutorials that you are considering.

Metrics

List of ways each of the options will be compared (numbers are generally better).

Comparison

The actual matrix doing the comparison with rows (or columns) showing each option and columns (or rows) listing the metrics.

Concluding Discussion and Selection

Given the matrix, write up about how the selection was made.

Submission

Put your report in your teams folder. Be ready to present your choices next week in class.

Written by Dr. Dirk Colbry, Michigan State University
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.