Step 3: Creating a weighted score model to find the best Cloud

Welcome to Step 3 of The Cloud Blueprint! Now that you’ve got a solid understanding of cloud models and deployment options, it’s time to get serious about making decisions. This article is where we transform abstract considerations into a clear, mathematical framework that makes cloud decisions feel less like a guessing game and more like solving a puzzle.  

So, grab your favorite beverage, and let’s dive into the beautiful world of prioritization and weighted scoring! I’ve got the project managers on the edge of their seats now, don’t I? 

Why Assign Weights to Key Factors? 

If you’ve ever had to choose between two equally tempting desserts, you know that not all considerations are created equal. The same goes for cloud decision-making. Assigning weights ensures that the factors most important to your business carry the most influence in your final decision. It’s about clarity, objectivity, and making sure you don’t end up regretting your choice later. 

Step 1: Identify and Rank Key Factors 

Every scenario is different which means that in one context, pricing may be very important while for a large healthcare company, security and compliance may be non-negotiable. 

To make things simpler, start by ranking each key factor from 1 to 7.  For this article we randomly ranked cloud factors. 

Step 2: Assign Weight Values 

Now that you’ve ordered key factors by importance, in the next column over, assign inverted values (or raw values) in other words 7 becomes 1 while 1 becomes 7, like so: 

Once this is done, we add up all the raw values to get the sum of 28. We can then use that sum to turn raw values into percentages using the following formula: 

Percentage = (Raw Value / Total) × 100 

Step 3: Create a Weighted Scoring Model 

To create a weighted scoring model, we need the Cloud Scores of all three providers across all seven key cloud factors. The 1-10 scores assigned to AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud for each factor represent a relative performance assessment based on industry research, platform documentation, expert insights, and real-world use cases. These scores reflect how well each cloud provider performs relative to each other in key decision-making areas. 

Cloud Scores 

This is where the math comes in (but don’t panic—it’s easy math). For each cloud provider (Azure, AWS, Google Cloud), multiply each cloud score by the factor’s weight and sum up the totals. 

Interpreting the Scores: Why a Real-Life Scenario Matters 

Looking at our final weighted scores (within our fictive scenario)—Azure (840), AWS (810), and Google Cloud (800)—you might be tempted to declare Azure the outright winner and move on. But hold on! The differences here are relatively small, meaning that raw numbers alone shouldn’t dictate the final decision. 

If we convert these scores into percentages (out of the highest possible total of 1000), we get: 

That’s only a 4% difference between Azure and Google Cloud, and just 3% between Azure and AWS. In practical terms, these clouds are all very strong contenders, and the right choice isn’t just about the numbers—it’s about how the cloud performs in your real-world scenario. 

To make it clear, if your difference is 10% or more, you can call a clear winner. However, if your percentage difference is any lower, you need to add in the human factor. 

This is exactly why Article 4 will go beyond the data and focus on real-world application. When scores are this close, the best way to ensure a smart, long-term decision is to test the cloud providers against your specific workloads, business goals, and unique operational challenges. 

 Click here for step 4.