Choosing between several solutions, such as standard software, a platform or custom development, needs reasoning that third parties can follow. Weighted scoring provides it by putting qualitative and quantitative criteria on a common scale.
Structure
First define the criteria, derived from requirements: functional coverage, usability, integration, security, operating effort, vendor dependency. Then weight them so they total 100 percent. Score each option per criterion on a fixed scale, say one to five, with a description of what each level means. Score times weight, summed over all criteria, gives the utility value.
Keep cost separate
Many analyses mix cost into the quality criteria. It is cleaner to show utility and lifetime cost separately and then look at the ratio. That keeps visible whether an option is better or merely cheaper.
Sensitivity analysis
Because weights always involve judgement, a sensitivity analysis belongs to it: does the ranking hold if the main weights shift by a few points? If so, the recommendation is robust. If it flips, the discussion must be about weighting, not points.
Use in studies
In the initiation phase of HERMES, choosing an option is a central study result. Weighted scoring with disclosed criteria, weights and scoring levels makes the recommendation verifiable, as we use it in the workflow platform evaluation. In public procurement the logic resembles price-quality evaluation.