In order to formulate the optimal multi-dimensional rural planning, it is necessary to establish an evaluating system that includes all the trade-off goals which are weighted as the priority. Armed with the system, one might be able effectively to make a decision of having an optimal choice of rural planning by analyzing and scoring all the scenarios. However, the method, which serves objectivly in the weight decision suited with the target circumstances, has not been developed.
This study introduces a new method for facilitating weight decision in multi-dimensional rural planning after clarifying a “catalogue” of evaluting system for the planning. This method was developped by comparison of five different methods, which had been used in trying to make weight decision for our ongoing planning. The core charateristic of this method is to introduce the correlation coefficients which obtained by analyzing the relationship among each item in the planning. The correlation coefficients have been verified to be effetively useful, for they could make it possible to evaluate which weight is effective to be carried-out for the goals included in the planning. This method has successfully been applied to the process of establishing an evaluating system for Ibaraki county to work out a rural planning in determining and clarifying which weight has what priority for each goal from different regional, personal and time period preferences.