{"id":2937257,"date":"2025-09-09T14:37:09","date_gmt":"2025-09-09T21:37:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/?post_type=blog&#038;p=2937257"},"modified":"2025-09-09T14:37:09","modified_gmt":"2025-09-09T21:37:09","slug":"pairwise-comparison-a-more-objective-way-to-assign-weights","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/spatial-analyst\/analytics\/pairwise-comparison-a-more-objective-way-to-assign-weights","title":{"rendered":"Pairwise comparison: A more objective way to assign weights"},"author":7161,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_searchwp_excluded":""},"categories":[23341],"tags":[780791,780792,732471,34071,780793],"industry":[],"product":[36561,37031],"class_list":["post-2937257","blog","type-blog","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-analytics","tag-assign-weights-by-pairwise-comparison","tag-pairwise-comparison","tag-suitability-modeler","tag-suitability-modeling","tag-weights","product-arcgis-pro","product-spatial-analyst"],"acf":{"related_articles":"","authors":[{"ID":7161,"user_firstname":"Kevin","user_lastname":"Johnston","nickname":"Kevin Johnston","user_nicename":"kevinjohnston","display_name":"Kevin Johnston","user_email":"kjohnston@esri.com","user_url":"","user_registered":"2018-03-02 00:19:23","user_description":"Kevin has been a Product Engineer on the Spatial Analyst development team for over 29 years. He has a Master's in Landscape Architect from Harvard and a Ph.D. in environmental modeling from Yale. At Esri, Kevin\u2019s current focus is developing suitability and connectivity tools. He hopes the tools that he works on can help users make more informed decisions.","user_avatar":"<img data-del=\"avatar\" src='https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2018\/07\/KJohnston2.png' class='avatar pp-user-avatar avatar-96 photo ' height='96' width='96'\/>"},{"ID":362822,"user_firstname":"Jin","user_lastname":"Yin","nickname":"Jin Yin","user_nicename":"jyin","display_name":"Jin Yin","user_email":"jyin@esri.com","user_url":"","user_registered":"2024-10-04 04:48:15","user_description":"Jin Yin has been a Product Engineer on the ArcGIS Spatial Analyst team at Esri since 2022. She works with colleagues to design, maintain, and develop geoprocessing tools with a focus on suitability analysis. Jin has a strong background in statistics and spatial modeling, and she is passionate about building tools that support spatial thinking and data-driven decision-making.","user_avatar":"<img data-del=\"avatar\" src='https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image-3-213x200.jpg' class='avatar pp-user-avatar avatar-96 photo ' height='96' width='96'\/>"}],"short_description":"Assigning weights in a suitability model using the pairwise comparison method.","flexible_content":[{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"<p>Have you ever struggled assigning weights in a suitability model or composite index? You are not alone. In ArcGIS Pro version 3.5, this process was made easier with the new <a href=\"https:\/\/pro.arcgis.com\/en\/pro-app\/latest\/tool-reference\/analysis\/assign-weights-by-pairwise-comparison.htm\"><u>Assign Weights by Pairwise Comparison<\/u><\/a> geoprocessing tool.<\/p>\n<p>There are a wide range of models in ArcGIS that solve multicriteria problems addressing a vast array of use cases. This group of models have a common thread, they require the weighting of a series of variables relative to one another. Examples of these models include the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Combining multiple criteria in a bear habitat <a href=\"https:\/\/pro.arcgis.com\/en\/pro-app\/latest\/help\/analysis\/geoprocessing\/modelbuilder\/modelbuilder-quick-tour.htm\"><u>ModelBuilder<\/u><\/a> model<\/li>\n<li>Creating a hurricane vulnerability index from a series of variables using the <a href=\"https:\/\/pro.arcgis.com\/en\/pro-app\/latest\/tool-reference\/spatial-statistics\/calculate-composite-index.htm\"><u>Calculate Composite Index<\/u><\/a> tool in Spatial Statistics<\/li>\n<li>Ranking candidate sites for a distribution center in Europe using the suitability modeling capability in <a href=\"https:\/\/pro.arcgis.com\/en\/pro-app\/latest\/help\/analysis\/business-analyst\/getting-started-with-business-analyst-pro.htm\"><u>Business Analyst<\/u><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Locating a recycling transfer station with the <a href=\"https:\/\/pro.arcgis.com\/en\/pro-app\/latest\/help\/analysis\/spatial-analyst\/suitability-modeler\/suitability-modeling-framework.htm\"><u>Suitability Modeler<\/u><\/a> as displayed in the image below<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2937258,"id":2937258,"title":"Image1_SuitabilityModel","filename":"Image1_SuitabilityModel.png","filesize":153876,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Image1_SuitabilityModel.png","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/spatial-analyst\/analytics\/pairwise-comparison-a-more-objective-way-to-assign-weights\/image1_suitabilitymodel","alt":"Suitability Modeler transfer station model","author":"7161","description":"","caption":"A Suitability Modeler model to locate a recycling transfer station. ","name":"image1_suitabilitymodel","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2937257,"date":"2025-08-26 00:00:28","modified":"2025-09-06 20:03:48","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/png","type":"image","subtype":"png","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":525,"height":295,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Image1_SuitabilityModel-213x200.png","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Image1_SuitabilityModel.png","medium-width":464,"medium-height":261,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Image1_SuitabilityModel.png","medium_large-width":525,"medium_large-height":295,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Image1_SuitabilityModel.png","large-width":525,"large-height":295,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Image1_SuitabilityModel.png","1536x1536-width":525,"1536x1536-height":295,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Image1_SuitabilityModel.png","2048x2048-width":525,"2048x2048-height":295,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Image1_SuitabilityModel.png","card_image-width":525,"card_image-height":295,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Image1_SuitabilityModel.png","wide_image-width":525,"wide_image-height":295}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"<p>These models all face a similar challenge: how do you set the relative weights for the variables?<\/p>\n<p>Does the following scenario sound familiar? To define the weights, as in the above suitability model, you begin by setting a weight for one criterion. Then you set another, and another. But when seeing the effects of some of the weights that are set, the weights might need to be adjusted. And adjusted and adjusted. Assigning weights as a unit for a series of criteria can be subjective and require some guessing.<\/p>\n<p>To solve this, what you can do is confidently compare the criteria by pairs. For example, you can identify if slope is more important than aspect and by how much. You can now do so using the <strong>Assign Weights by Pairwise Comparison<\/strong> tool.<\/p>\n<p>Developed by Saaty (2008), pairwise comparison simplifies complex decisions and provides a systematic way to prioritize or rank the input variables. The<strong> Assign Weights by Pairwise Comparison <\/strong>tool calculates the relative weights for the variables from the comparisons of the pairs.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>How the tool works<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The following image shows the tool with the criteria from the above recycling transfer station suitability model entered as the <strong>Input Variables To Compare<\/strong> values.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2937259,"id":2937259,"title":"Image2_ToolDialog","filename":"Image2_ToolDialog.png","filesize":27984,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Image2_ToolDialog.png","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/spatial-analyst\/analytics\/pairwise-comparison-a-more-objective-way-to-assign-weights\/image2_tooldialog","alt":"The Assign Weights by Pairwise Comparison tool dialog","author":"7161","description":"","caption":" The Assign Weights by Pairwise Comparison tool dialog with the variables entered. ","name":"image2_tooldialog","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2937257,"date":"2025-08-26 00:03:39","modified":"2025-09-06 20:04:05","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/png","type":"image","subtype":"png","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":204,"height":281,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Image2_ToolDialog-204x200.png","thumbnail-width":204,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Image2_ToolDialog.png","medium-width":189,"medium-height":261,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Image2_ToolDialog.png","medium_large-width":204,"medium_large-height":281,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Image2_ToolDialog.png","large-width":204,"large-height":281,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Image2_ToolDialog.png","1536x1536-width":204,"1536x1536-height":281,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Image2_ToolDialog.png","2048x2048-width":204,"2048x2048-height":281,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Image2_ToolDialog.png","card_image-width":204,"card_image-height":281,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Image2_ToolDialog.png","wide_image-width":204,"wide_image-height":281}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"<p>There are three steps when calculating the weights using the pairwise methodology:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Enter the variables or criteria.<\/li>\n<li>Identify the pairwise comparisons from which the comparison matrix is created.<\/li>\n<li>Calculate the weights.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>To specify the preference for each pair of variables, open the <strong>Define Pairwise Comparison<\/strong> window by clicking the <strong>Compare variables and calculate weights<\/strong> button.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2938782,"id":2938782,"title":"Image3_DefaultSliders_2","filename":"Image3_DefaultSliders_2-2.png","filesize":145185,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image3_DefaultSliders_2-2.png","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/spatial-analyst\/analytics\/pairwise-comparison-a-more-objective-way-to-assign-weights\/image3_defaultsliders_2-3","alt":"The Define Pairwise Comparison window","author":"7161","description":"","caption":"The Define Pairwise Comparison window with the pairwise comparisons and the comparison matrix.","name":"image3_defaultsliders_2-3","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2937257,"date":"2025-09-09 00:49:16","modified":"2025-09-09 00:49:54","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/png","type":"image","subtype":"png","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":431,"height":600,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image3_DefaultSliders_2-2-213x200.png","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image3_DefaultSliders_2-2.png","medium-width":187,"medium-height":261,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image3_DefaultSliders_2-2.png","medium_large-width":431,"medium_large-height":600,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image3_DefaultSliders_2-2.png","large-width":431,"large-height":600,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image3_DefaultSliders_2-2.png","1536x1536-width":431,"1536x1536-height":600,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image3_DefaultSliders_2-2.png","2048x2048-width":431,"2048x2048-height":600,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image3_DefaultSliders_2-2-334x465.png","card_image-width":334,"card_image-height":465,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image3_DefaultSliders_2-2.png","wide_image-width":431,"wide_image-height":600}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"<p>The tool automatically creates the pairs from the input variables. The first pair is slope and aspect. In this pair, the slope is significantly more important than aspect, so you move the slider to 5 on the slope side of the pairing. As each slider is moved, the comparison matrix below the sliders is updated.<\/p>\n<p>In the next pairing, slope is only slightly more important than distance from roads, so the slider is moved to 3 on the slope side of the pairing. You continue with the evaluation process by moving the sliders for each pair as demonstrated in the image below.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2938513,"id":2938513,"title":"MovingSliders","filename":"MovingSliders.gif","filesize":1404977,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/MovingSliders.gif","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/spatial-analyst\/analytics\/pairwise-comparison-a-more-objective-way-to-assign-weights\/movingsliders","alt":"Moving the sliders for each pair","author":"7161","description":"","caption":"The evaluations for each pair are performed by moving the appropriate sliders.  ","name":"movingsliders","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2937257,"date":"2025-09-05 16:01:55","modified":"2025-09-05 16:07:15","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/gif","type":"image","subtype":"gif","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":540,"height":414,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/MovingSliders-213x200.gif","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/MovingSliders.gif","medium-width":340,"medium-height":261,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/MovingSliders.gif","medium_large-width":540,"medium_large-height":414,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/MovingSliders.gif","large-width":540,"large-height":414,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/MovingSliders.gif","1536x1536-width":540,"1536x1536-height":414,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/MovingSliders.gif","2048x2048-width":540,"2048x2048-height":414,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/MovingSliders.gif","card_image-width":540,"card_image-height":414,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/MovingSliders.gif","wide_image-width":540,"wide_image-height":414}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"<p>The tool also provides functionality to ensure the pairwise evaluations are consistent. That is, if A is greater than B and B is greater than C; it would be inconsistent to say C is less than A.<\/p>\n<p>To verify the evaluations, click the <strong>Consistency<\/strong> button to calculate the consistency ratio.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2937264,"id":2937264,"title":"Image5_Consistency","filename":"Image5_Consistency.png","filesize":37967,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Image5_Consistency.png","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/spatial-analyst\/analytics\/pairwise-comparison-a-more-objective-way-to-assign-weights\/image5_consistency","alt":"An inconsistent Consistency ratio","author":"7161","description":"","caption":"The Consistency ratio is calculated, and it is greater than 0.1.","name":"image5_consistency","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2937257,"date":"2025-08-26 00:16:12","modified":"2025-09-06 20:05:11","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/png","type":"image","subtype":"png","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":347,"height":265,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Image5_Consistency-213x200.png","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Image5_Consistency.png","medium-width":342,"medium-height":261,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Image5_Consistency.png","medium_large-width":347,"medium_large-height":265,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Image5_Consistency.png","large-width":347,"large-height":265,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Image5_Consistency.png","1536x1536-width":347,"1536x1536-height":265,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Image5_Consistency.png","2048x2048-width":347,"2048x2048-height":265,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Image5_Consistency.png","card_image-width":347,"card_image-height":265,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Image5_Consistency.png","wide_image-width":347,"wide_image-height":265}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"<p>Since the ratio is greater than 0.1, the model is inconsistent. The ratio turns red and the three most inconsistent pairs are highlighted. As a result, the evaluations for the highlighted inconsistent pairs need to be adjusted (to see the other two highlighted pairs, you must scroll down in the slider list). Move the slider to 3 for the Aspect and Dist_Roads pair and recalculate the ratio.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2938577,"id":2938577,"title":"consistency","filename":"consistency.gif","filesize":444664,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/consistency.gif","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/spatial-analyst\/analytics\/pairwise-comparison-a-more-objective-way-to-assign-weights\/consistency","alt":"Correcting the Consistency ratio","author":"7161","description":"","caption":"The slider for the Aspect and Dist_Roads pair is moved to 3 and the Consistency ratio is recalculated.  ","name":"consistency","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2937257,"date":"2025-09-06 20:11:21","modified":"2025-09-07 00:03:19","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/gif","type":"image","subtype":"gif","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":542,"height":408,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/consistency-213x200.gif","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/consistency.gif","medium-width":347,"medium-height":261,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/consistency.gif","medium_large-width":542,"medium_large-height":408,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/consistency.gif","large-width":542,"large-height":408,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/consistency.gif","1536x1536-width":542,"1536x1536-height":408,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/consistency.gif","2048x2048-width":542,"2048x2048-height":408,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/consistency.gif","card_image-width":542,"card_image-height":408,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/consistency.gif","wide_image-width":542,"wide_image-height":408}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"<p>The ratio is now below 0.1 so the model is consistent.<\/p>\n<p>The resulting weights can be entered as the weights in the above Suitability Modeler model. In the <strong>Assign Weights by Pairwise Comparison<\/strong> tool, the weights are calculated as decimals summing to 1. Before entering them as the weights into the Suitability Modeler model, they are multiplied by 100 to convert the values into percents.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"image","image":{"ID":2938683,"id":2938683,"title":"Image7_SuitabilityModelerWeights_2","filename":"Image7_SuitabilityModelerWeights_2.png","filesize":37118,"url":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image7_SuitabilityModelerWeights_2.png","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/spatial-analyst\/analytics\/pairwise-comparison-a-more-objective-way-to-assign-weights\/image7_suitabilitymodelerweights_2","alt":"Weights entered into the Suitability Modeler","author":"7161","description":"","caption":"The weights calculated in the Assign Weights by Pairwise Comparison tool are entered as the Percent weights in the Suitability Modeler model.","name":"image7_suitabilitymodelerweights_2","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":2937257,"date":"2025-09-08 22:31:56","modified":"2025-09-08 22:32:25","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/png","type":"image","subtype":"png","icon":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":336,"height":277,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image7_SuitabilityModelerWeights_2-213x200.png","thumbnail-width":213,"thumbnail-height":200,"medium":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image7_SuitabilityModelerWeights_2.png","medium-width":317,"medium-height":261,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image7_SuitabilityModelerWeights_2.png","medium_large-width":336,"medium_large-height":277,"large":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image7_SuitabilityModelerWeights_2.png","large-width":336,"large-height":277,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image7_SuitabilityModelerWeights_2.png","1536x1536-width":336,"1536x1536-height":277,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image7_SuitabilityModelerWeights_2.png","2048x2048-width":336,"2048x2048-height":277,"card_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image7_SuitabilityModelerWeights_2.png","card_image-width":336,"card_image-height":277,"wide_image":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/app\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Image7_SuitabilityModelerWeights_2.png","wide_image-width":336,"wide_image-height":277}},"image_position":"center","orientation":"horizontal","hyperlink":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"<p>The <strong>Assign Weight by Pairwise Comparison<\/strong> tool was created as a stand-alone tool in the Analysis toolbox and is available with the Basic ArcGIS license. The resulting weights can be used in any suitability model created in ModelBuilder, in the Suitability Modeler in Spatial Analyst, and in Business Analyst. The weights can also be used when creating composite indices in Spatial Statistics.<\/p>\n<p>The pairwise methodology can be more intuitive to implement and allows you to more accurately compare pairs of variables relative to one another, which means the final calculated weights are more objective and defensible.<\/p>\n<p>For additional information, see <a href=\"https:\/\/pro.arcgis.com\/en\/pro-app\/latest\/tool-reference\/analysis\/how-assign-weights-by-pairwise-comparison-works.htm\"><u>How Assign Weights by Pairwise Comparison works<\/u><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Reference<\/strong>s:<\/p>\n<p>Saaty, T. L. 2008. &#8220;Decision making with the analytic hierarchy process&#8221;.\u00a0International Journal of Services Sciences, 1(1), 83-98.<\/p>\n"}],"show_article_image":false,"card_image":false,"wide_image":false},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v25.9 (Yoast SEO v25.9) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Pairwise comparison: A more objective way to assign weights<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/arcgis-blog\/products\/spatial-analyst\/analytics\/pairwise-comparison-a-more-objective-way-to-assign-weights\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Pairwise comparison: A more objective way to assign weights\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" 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