8. V(ma)Case Histories

8.1 Case Histories Introduction

Sixteen case histories which utilized the V(ma) software as part of the CVA consulting work during these past 12 years have been included below to give you some idea of the progress accomplished thus far. Those V(ma) assignments too specific to client identities, have been excluded from the Case Histories. However, the applications shaded in red in this website's Introduction include the applications in which V(ma) has been used thus far.

The original data sets have been modified for privacy reasons, as have the names of the Alternatives as well. In some cases we have explicitly gained client permission for the use of some of the notes regarding the analyses.

We are also appreciative to those fellow consultants that we have worked with in the past, that assisted in the design and scoring of the various projects.

The Case History reviews are in Adobe PDF workbook files. Each workbook will consist of:

1. An Introductory description,
2. The Outline of the Hierarchy,
3. A 2D Block Diagram of the Hierarchy,
4. The Voting Matrix,
5. The Main Spreadsheet called, "Sheet1",
6. The Criteria Smry Sheet,
7. The Top and Second Level Vectorgrams,
8. A repeat of the Criteria Smry Sheet for summarizing purposes

The Vectorgram Pdf sheets have a unique number in the upper right hand corner of the page. It is a decimal number. The integer is the row number of the Node in the Main Spreadsheet and the Voting Matrix. The fraction will be a ".2" or a ".3". Those with a “.2” will be the standard Vectorgram with all the various information subsets. Those with “.3” is the so-called "Vgm_S" or Vectorgram slide. It's format can be specified by a series of parameters and can be used for slide presentations to those unfamiliar with V(ma) VectorStrings. In the following PDF workbooks, there will be a Vgm_S for each Vectorgram shown so as to accommodate those readers not yet VectorString/wise.

At the risk of providing too much detail, an explanation of those fractional numbers should be briefly described to satisfy the technical observer. The top 16 rows of the main spreadsheet contain a title row and a matrix of 15 rows and 60 columns of parameter options. The user can define as many as 15 different configurations that can be used in the construction of a Vectorgram; such as colors, fonts, thicknesses, backgrounds etc. e.g. if one sees a set of Vectorgrams with their i.d.'s ending in .12, then one can look at row 12 of the parameter matrix to see the specific settings assigned to that particular set of Vectorgrams.

The first case, "A Comparison of Three Vacation Home Prospects" will contain a Vectorgram and Vgm_S for EVERY one of the Nodes in its hierarchy. This should satisfy those readers who might wish to examine at least one case in greater detail. The others will be restricted to Vectorgrams of the first and second level. However, should there be Endpoint Criteria in the top two Quadrants of the Criteria Smry Sheet that are subcomponents of Nodes in lower levels, those Nodes’ Vectorgrams will be put in the PDF workbook as well.

The Case is most interesting because it was not done by CVA but rather by one of the executives of a CVA client that has used CVA many times. He decided to use it personally to evaluate three Alternatives for a vacation home. He recently gave CVA permission to use his project as a case example. His hierarchy is a beautiful example to follow for buying or selling a home. And as a matter of interest, the other fifteen cases all have hierarchies that can serve as templates for future projects.

8.2 Case Histories Lists

Case 1. A Comparison of Three Vacation Home Prospects
5. A Comparative Evaluation of Five Proposals
for a Nation Wide On Line Bartering and Exchange System
to be used by North American Power Companies
Ending of editing................ The list of Cases is in the same alternating red and black text format as was used in the "What's Been Done Thus Far" section with the addition of the PDF Workbooks.

1. A Comparison of Three Vacation Home Prospects
Designed and Implemented by a CVA Client Manager on His Own Time using V(ma).

Comparison of Three Vacation Home_Prospects Workbook

2. A Competitive Analysis of Four Office Software Systems

3. A Basic "Request for Proposals" RFP System

4. A Comparative Evaluation of Four Large Scale Computer Storage Systems

Storage Systems RFP Workbook

5. A Comparative Evaluation of Five Proposals
for a Nation Wide On Line Bartering and Exchange System
to be used by North American Power Companies

6. A Comparative Evaluation System for Firewall Products

7. A Comparative Evaluation of Six Proposals for an On Line Financial System
for a New Energy Company

8. A Comparative Evaluation of Eleven Canadian Mutual Funds
for use by a Canadian Subsidiary’s Retirement Fund

21.2 Top Node

9. A Psychological Examination of Four Candidates
for a Bank Financial Officer’s Position

10. This was a hypothetical Customer Satisfaction Evaluation case based on the book,
“The Customer Revolution” by my friend Patricia B. Seybold
Published by Crown Business, New York, N.Y. ISBN-0609-60772-3 .

11. A Comparative Evaluation of Nine Corporate Office Automation Systems

12. A Competitive Evaluation of Seven Intelligent Valve Systems
used by Chemical and Refinery Corporations

13. A Customer Self Evaluation Test of Their own Computer Network Systems
as part of a Sales Plan by a Computer Network Supplier

14. A Comparative Evaluation of Four Hospitals
including their Medical and Nursing Staffs

15. A Comparative Evaluation of Microsoft’s NT Operating System
versus
Novell’s Netware Operating System (Mid 90’s)

16. A Comparative Evaluation of Two Burn Salve Dressings
based on a British Medical Report*

*Burn Dressing Comparison Case Paper

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