A simplified Analytic Hierarchy Process teaching model for adult rational decision‑making: construction and application

Abstract

Put forward by Thomas L. Saaty in the 1970s, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) has become one of the most widely used multi‑criteria decision‑making tools around the world. Despite its solid theoretical foundation and broad application scope, the conventional AHP workflow requires constructing full pairwise comparison matrices, solving eigenvalue values and calculating consistency ratios. These steps create high learning barriers for adult learners without professional operations‑research training. This paper develops a Simplified AHP Teaching Model (SAHP‑TM), which targets rational decision‑making education for ordinary adults. Within each evaluation criterion, this model cuts down pairwise comparison times from n(n‑1)/2 to n‑1. It replaces eigenvalue calculation with a normalized ratio‑sum approximation approach and introduces a three‑step consistency check that works without specialized software. This study builds the pedagogical framework for this simplified model, demonstrates its practical use through three real‑life decision scenarios, and tests its performance via a small‑scale teaching workshop. Experimental results indicate that this revised model keeps the ranking stability of standard AHP, while greatly shortening decision‑making duration and lowering learners' perceived cognitive burden. For adult participants dealing with time‑limited, frequent yet moderately important daily choices, this pedagogically optimized AHP is more than just a technical compromise; it serves as a better‑fitted practical instrument for this user group.