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The right vendor starts with your priorities.

Change what matters, compare three fictional offers, and understand the reasoning behind the ranking.

FICTIONAL VENDORS · EXPLAINED WEIGHTING

Make the tradeoffs visible.

Vendor B has the highest score.

All criteria have equal influence. Ratings stay fixed so you can isolate the effect of changing priorities.

Vendor A

Lean offer, limited assurance
3.25 / 5

Unchanged from balanced weighting

Vendor B

Strong support, balanced fit
4.00 / 5

Unchanged from balanced weighting

Vendor C

Strong control evidence and fit
3.75 / 5

Unchanged from balanced weighting

How each criterion contributes to the score
CriterionEffective shareVendor AVendor BVendor C
Cost fit25.0%5 / 51.25 points3 / 50.75 points2 / 50.50 points
Support25.0%3 / 50.75 points5 / 51.25 points3 / 50.75 points
Security25.0%2 / 50.50 points4 / 51.00 points5 / 51.25 points
Business fit25.0%3 / 50.75 points4 / 51.00 points5 / 51.25 points

Effective share = criterion weight ÷ total weight (100). Score = sum of rating × effective share. Calculations use full precision; displayed values are rounded. Equal scores share the lead.

Balanced baseline: Vendor A 3.25, Vendor B 4.00, Vendor C 3.75. Cost-led weighting favors A’s affordability; security-led weighting favors C’s stronger control evidence.

Why these ratings?

Original fictional review notes, not assessments of real companies. The same 1–5 rubric applies throughout: 1 = major gaps, 2 = material gaps, 3 = adequate, 4 = strong, 5 = very strong against the stated needs.

Vendor A

Cost fit: 5 / 5
Lowest modeled whole-life cost in this fictional comparison, including transition.
Support: 3 / 5
Business-hours coverage meets basic needs; after-hours escalation remains limited.
Security: 2 / 5
Control documentation is incomplete and recovery evidence needs further review.
Business fit: 3 / 5
Core workflows fit; two required integrations would need additional work.

Vendor B

Cost fit: 3 / 5
Mid-range modeled cost with understandable recurring and transition fees.
Support: 5 / 5
Named escalation ownership, broad coverage, and well-defined service commitments.
Security: 4 / 5
Most requested control and recovery evidence is available; one assurance gap remains.
Business fit: 4 / 5
Most required workflows and integrations fit, with a manageable training need.

Vendor C

Cost fit: 2 / 5
Highest modeled cost; transition and ongoing fees exceed the preferred budget.
Support: 3 / 5
Standard coverage is adequate; specialist response needs contractual clarification.
Security: 5 / 5
The fictional review includes complete, current control and recovery evidence.
Business fit: 5 / 5
All prioritized workflows and integrations fit, with a clear adoption plan.

A score supports judgment.

Confirm mandatory requirements before comparing scores. A high cost or support rating cannot compensate for an unmet security, legal, or business requirement. Validate vendor evidence, references, contract terms, and a pilot before making a real selection.

This demonstration does not assess real vendors or certify security. Weights stay in this page.

Discuss your vendor evaluation