Abstract: A method for evaluating the relative importance for a predefined subject of predefined core characteristics. To evaluate the importance of the predefined subject, a first data set is created that contains information inquiries, wherein each information inquiry is related to one or more of the predefined core characteristics. A second data set is created that contains responses to the information inquiries. Thereafter, a matrix analysis is performed using the first and second data sets to generate an importance value for each predefined core characteristic.