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Chapter 10

Decision Support Systems

ITEC 1010 Information and Organizations

 Decision support systems (DSS)
 Offer potential to assist in solving both semi-
structured and unstructured problems


Decision Making as a Component of
Problem Solving
Intelligence

Decision
making Design

Problem
Choice solving

Implementation

Monitoring


Solution Types
 Optimization model
 Finding the best solution
 Satisficing model
 Finding a good -- but not necessarily the best
-- solution to a problem
 Heuristics
 Commonly accepted guidelines or procedures
that usually find a good solution


Problem Solving Factors
 Multiple decision objectives
 Increased alternatives
 Increased competition
 The need for creativity
 Social and political actions
 International aspects
 Technology
 Time compression

Characteristics of a DSS (1)
 Handles large amounts of data from
different sources
 Provides report and presentation flexibility
 Offers both textual and graphical
orientation


 Supports drill down analysis
 Performs complex, sophisticated analysis
and comparisons using advanced software
packages
 Supports optimization, satisficing, and
heuristic approaches


 Performs different types of analyses
 “What-if” analysis
• Makes hypothetical changes to problem and
observes impact on the results
 Simulation
• Duplicates features of a real system
 Goal-seeking analysis
• Determines problem data required for a given result


Goal Seeking Example
 You know the desired result
 You want to know the required input(s)
 Example:
 Microsoft Excel’s “Goal Seek” and “Solver”
functions


Excel
demo


Capabilities of a DSS (1)
 Supports
 Problem solving phases
 Different decision frequencies

Merge with How many
another widgets
company? should I order?

low high
Frequency

Capabilities of a DSS (2)
 Highly structured problems
 Straightforward problems, requiring known
facts and relationships.
 Semi-structured or unstructured problems
 Complex problems wherein relationships
among data are not always clear, the data may
be in a variety of formats, and are often
difficult to manipulate or obtain

Decision Making Levels

Strategic Strategic-level managers
involved with long-term
decisions
Tactical
Operational-level
managers involved with
Operational daily decisions
High Low

Decision Frequency


Integration of
TPS, MIS, and DSS
 In many organizations they are integrated
through a common database
 Separation of DSS transactions in the
database from TPS and MIS transactions
may be important for performance reasons


Web-Based
 Web-based decision support systems
 Decision support system software provides
business intelligence through web browser
clients that access databases either through the
Internet or a corporate intranet


Components of a DSS
 Model management software (MMS)
 Coordinates the use of models in the DSS
 Model base
 Provides decision makers with access to a
variety of models
 Dialogue manager
 Allows decision makers to easily access and
manipulate the DSS


Database Model base

DBMS MMS

Access to the
internet, networks, External database External
and other computer access databases
systems

Dialogue manager


Model Base
 Model Base
 Provides decision makers with
access to a variety of models and
assists them in decision making
 Models
 Financial models
 Statistical analysis models
 Graphical models
 Project management models

Advantages and Disadvantages
of Modeling
 Advantages
• Less expensive than custom approaches or real systems.
• Faster to construct than real systems
• Less risky than real systems
• Provides learning experience (trial and error)
• Future projections are possible
• Can test assumptions
 Disadvantages
• Assumptions about reality may be incorrect
• Accuracy of predications often unreliable
• Requires abstract thinking


Group Decision Support System
 Group Decision Support System (GDSS)
 Contains most of the elements of DSS plus
software to provide effective support in group
decision-making settings


Databases

Model base GDSS processor GDSS software

Access to the internet
and corporate intranet,
Dialogue External database External
networks, and other manager access databases
computer system

Users


Characteristics of a GDSS (1)
 Special design
 Ease of use
 Flexibility
 Decision-making support
 Delphi approach (decision makers are geographically
dispersed)
 Brainstorming
 Group consensus
 Nominal group technique


Characteristics of a GDSS (2)
 Anonymous input
 Reduction of negative group behaviour
 Parallel communication
 Automated record keeping
 Cost, control, complexity factors


Group Results Matrix


Components of a GDSS and
GDSS Software
 Database
 Model base
 Dialogue manager
 Communication capability
 Special software (also called GroupWare)
 E.g., Lotus Notes
 people located around the world work on the same
project, documents, and files, efficiently and at the
same time


GDSS Alternatives
high
Local area Wide area
Decision frequency

decision network decision network

Decision
Teleconferencing
room
low
close distant
Location of group members

Decision Room
 Decision Room
 For decision makers located in the same geographic
area or building
 Use of computing devices, special software,
networking capabilities, display equipment, and a
session leader
 Collect, coordinate, and feed back organized
information to help a group make a decision
 Combines face-to-face verbal interaction with
technology-aided formalization

Wide Area Decision Network
 Characteristics
 Location of group members is distant
 Decision frequency is high
 Virtual workgroups
• Groups of workers located around the world
working on common problems via a GDSS


Executive Support System
 Characteristics Board of directors

 A specialized DSS that
includes all the hardware, President
software, data, procedures,
and people used to assist
Function area
senior-level executives vice presidents
within the organization
Function area
managers


Characteristics of ESSs
 Tailored to individual executives
 Easy to use
 Drill down capabilities
 Support the need for external data
 Help with situations with high degree of
uncertainty
 Futures orientation (predictions, forecasting)
 Linked with value-added business processes

Capabilities of an ESS
 Support for
 defining overall vision
 strategic planning
 strategic organizing and staffing
 strategic control
 crisis management


End of Chapter 10

Chapter 11


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Decision support systems

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Decision support systems