Decision making support device and decision making support method

A computer-implemented method of supporting decision making including a plurality of selective elements, the method comprising:

• an opinion acquiring step in which an expressed opinion is acquired from each of a plurality of participants with respect to each of the plurality of selective elements;
• and
• a target person determining step in which, with respect to a given selective element, a determination is made regarding from which participant an opinion on the selective element is to be elicited when there are a plurality of unexpressed participants who have not yet expressed opinions on the selective element, wherein
• in the target person determining step,
• when assuming that each of the unexpressed participants has expressed any of expected opinions, assumed group satisfaction that is determined based on contents of decision making and contents of expression of opinions of the plurality of participants are respectively calculated,
• a determination is made regarding from which participant an opinion on the selective element is to be elicited based on the assumed group satisfaction,
• obtaining, for each of the unexpressed participants, a minimum value of assumed group satisfaction when assuming that any of expected opinions is expressed, and
• when there is an unexpressed participant for which a minimum value of the assumed group satisfaction becomes larger than any of minimum values of the assumed group satisfaction of other unexpressed participants, determining to elicit an opinion from the unexpressed participant.

A decision making support device supporting decision making including a plurality of selective elements, the decision making support device comprising a processor configured to operate as:

• an opinion acquiring module that acquires an expressed opinion from each of a plurality of participants with respect to each of the plurality of selective elements;
• and
• a target person determining module that determines, with respect to a given selective element, from which participant an opinion on the selective element is to be elicited when there are a plurality of unexpressed participants who have not yet expressed opinions on the selective element,
• wherein the target person determining module
• respectively calculates, when assuming that each of the unexpressed participants has expressed any of expected opinions, assumed group satisfaction that is determined based on contents of decision making and contents of expression of opinions of the plurality of participants,
• determines from which participant an opinion on the selective element is to be elicited based on the assumed group satisfaction,
• obtains, for each of the unexpressed participants, a maximum value of assumed group satisfaction when assuming that any of expected opinions is expressed, and
• when there is an unexpressed participant for which a maximum value of the assumed group satisfaction becomes larger than any of maximum values of the assumed group satisfaction of other unexpressed participants, determines to elicit an opinion from the unexpressed participant.