A fuzzy DEMATEL application for criteria affecting database management system selection in a specific problem context

Database management systems (DBMS) are one of the basic building blocks of many software projects developed in technology companies. However, each DBMS supports different features. It is practically impossible and costly to try out all DBMSs one by one. For this reason, the DBMS to use can be recom mended using mathematical methods, considering the criteria desired by the software developers. In this study, a solution for DBMS selection was proposed using fuzzy DEMATEL, which can provide a better solution with fuzzy logic than the exact numerical values of the influence relationship between complex criteria. In the study conducted with the participation of a five member software team in a technology company, the most effective criterion for DBMS selection was backup properties (0.184), followed by purchase cost (0.177). The least important criterion was user management and authorization properties (0.056). The findings ofthe relationships between the criteria were identified as the criteria influencingthe backup properties, technical supportsolutions, performance, data storage format, and user management and authorization properties, and influenced by the purchase cost, training cost and common use.