Composite scoring

A single score for a multi-factor judgment is unreliable. Decompose the judgment into atomic scores and combine them with weights you control in code.

The pattern

1. Identify the independent dimensions of the judgment.
2. Ask one score question per dimension.
3. Combine the scores with your own weights and thresholds.

---
accTitle: Composite scoring
accDescr: Several atomic score questions are combined with code-owned weights into a single composite decision.
---
flowchart LR
  state["state"]:::neutral
  s1["market score"]:::primary
  s2["feasibility score"]:::accent
  s3["differentiation score"]:::success
  weights["your weights"]:::warning
  composite["composite score"]:::success
  decision["decision"]:::success

  state --> s1 --> composite
  state --> s2 --> composite
  state --> s3 --> composite
  weights --> composite
  composite --> decision

  classDef primary fill:#ede9fe,stroke:#7c3aed,color:#3b0764,stroke-width:1.5px
  classDef accent fill:#dbeafe,stroke:#2563eb,color:#0c4a6e,stroke-width:1.5px
  classDef success fill:#d1fae5,stroke:#059669,color:#064e3b,stroke-width:1.5px
  classDef warning fill:#fef3c7,stroke:#d97706,color:#78350f,stroke-width:1.5px
  classDef neutral fill:#f4f4f5,stroke:#a1a1aa,color:#18181b,stroke-width:1.5px

Example request

{
  "model": "typed-lm",
  "state": "A pitch for a subscription service for weekly meal planning.",
  "questions": {
    "market": {
      "type": "score",
      "instructions": "How large and reachable is the target market?",
      "criteria": ["Very small", "Small", "Moderate", "Large", "Very large"]
    },
    "feasibility": {
      "type": "score",
      "instructions": "How feasible is the technical build?",
      "criteria": ["Very hard", "Hard", "Moderate", "Easy", "Trivial"]
    },
    "differentiation": {
      "type": "score",
      "instructions": "How differentiated is this from existing products?",
      "criteria": ["Commodity", "Weak", "Moderate", "Strong", "Unique"]
    }
  }
}

Combining in code

answers = response["answers"]
composite = (
    0.5 * answers["market"]["score"]
    + 0.3 * answers["feasibility"]["score"]
    + 0.2 * answers["differentiation"]["score"]
)

When priorities change, change the coefficients — not the prompts.

Best practices

• Normalize scores before combining if the scales differ in length.
• Weight by business impact, not by how easy a dimension is to score.
• Gate the composite with confidence when a dimension is uncertain.

Next steps

• Confidence-gated routing — gate on certainty.
• Score — the primitive.