Method of extracting experts' assessments from social networks in the group decision making process

Social networks are the most preferred mean in terms of user interaction, information sharing, and communication. Therefore, they can be used in a group decision making process. However, in existing methods of group decision making, experts should follow the specific proposed structures when making their decisions. This is unnatural for online services in which users can express their opinions in a free form. To solve this problem, a model of a group decision making process is proposed in which experts can feel more free when evaluating pairs of alternatives or expressing their opinions. This method makes it possible to work in social networks. The article also offers a review and on its basis a formal description of the group decision making algorithm in a social network. A method for evaluating alternatives is presented, in which experts provide their assessments during the discussion of a problem with the use of texts, messages, or publications in chosen platforms. Methods are proposed for determining the level of consensus reached among the experts of this process.