General approach to multiattribute classification problems based on the verbal decision analysis

There are a number of methods for ordinal, nominal-ordinal and nominal classification problems within the Verbal Decision Analysis (VDA) paradigm. The VDA-based general approach to all such types of classification problems is proposed. This approach is implemented in the STEPCLASS method, which retains all advantages of above mentioned methods and eliminates their drawbacks. It includes, without limitations, such techniques as (1) initial domain structuring and defining the type of a classification problem; (2) flexible strategy of a dialogue with an expert in order to reveal the complete and consistent set of his/her classification rules with possibility of the problem domain structure extension; and (3) decomposition of large-size classification problem with subsequent aggregation of classification rules over the set of all attributes.