Some items score higher than others the numbers document the ranking. Adding up the ratings produces a score for each item. In a pairwise comparison a whole list of items is ranked by comparing only items two at a time, and assigning a numerical rating to the comparison.
In plain words, it’s easy because we already know how to choose between two things. The pairwise comparison technique leverages the universal human ability to compare single properties of alternatives.
Using a simple application of Pairwise Comparison, you can help the group perform a rudimentary business impact analysis, in a methodical way results in group consensus for the for the team’s findings. What makes assets critical is the severity of the impact on the business if use of the asset were lost. This means that security practitioners must enlist the aid of a group, committee, team or panel to help identify and prioritize the most critical assets and business processes. It involves knowledge outside of security’s domain. It requires the expertise of the corporate personnel who utilize and depend upon those assets. Which are they? Making that determination is not just Security’s task. That means a security analysis should concentrate on the few assets that are most critical to the business. The finite nature of security resources mandates prioritizing the deployment of security measures. Audrey Dorofee, Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University You need to determine the best use of your limited resources to ensure the survivability of your enterprise.”