In a decision matrix, where are the alternatives listed?

• A. In the rows
• B. In the columns
• C. In the diagonal cells
• D. In the legend

Answer: (A)

Alternatives are listed in rows because the matrix is built to compare each option against a common set of criteria. Each row represents one alternative, and each column corresponds to a criterion, so you can see how a single option performs across all criteria and compute an overall score by summing or weighting the cells in that row. Putting alternatives in columns would force you to reorient the data and would make it harder to compare options side by side or aggregate scores across criteria. The legend explains the scoring or weights, and the column headers show the criteria.