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Unit 1
Decision Support
System
History
The concept of Decision Support has evolved from two
main areas of research:
The theoretical studies of organizational Decision Making done at theCarnegie Institute of
Technologyduring the late 1950s and early 1960s, and
the technical work on Technology in the 1960s.
DSS became an area of research of its own in the middle
of the 1970s, before gaining in intensity during the
1980s.
In the middle and late 1980s, aqExecutive Information
Systems (EIS),Group Decision support systems(GDSS),
and Organizational Decision Support Systems (ODSS)
evolved from the single user and model-oriented DSS.
History
In the 1970s DSS was described as "a computerbased system to aid Decision Making".
In the late 1970s the DSS movement started
focusing on "interactive computer-based systems
which help decision-makers utilize data bases and
models to solve ill-structured problems".
In the 1980s DSS should provide systems "using
suitable and available technology to improve
effectiveness of managerial and professional
activities
Towards the end of 1980s DSS faced a new challenge
towards the design of Intelligent Workstations.
In
1987,Texas
Instrumentscompleted
development of the Gate Assignment Display
System (GADS) forUnited Airlines.
This decision support system is credited with
significantly reducing travel delays by aiding
the management of ground operations at
variousairports,
beginning
withO'Hare
International AirportinChicagoand Stapleton
Airport inDenver Colorado.
Beginning
in
about
1990,Data
WarehousingandOn-line
Analytical
Processing(OLAP) began broadening the
realm of DSS. As the turn of the millennium
approached, new Web-based analytical
applications were introduced.
Components
Development
frameworks
DSS systems are not entirely different from other
systems and require a structured approach. Such a
framework includes people, technology, and the
development approach.
The Early Framework of Decision Support System
consists of four phases:
1. IntelligenceSearching for conditions that call for
decision.
2.DesignDeveloping and analyzing possible
alternative actions of solution.
3.ChoiceSelecting a course of action among those.
4.ImplementationAdopting the selected course of
action in decision situation.
Classification
There are several ways to classify DSS applications. Not
every DSS fits neatly into one of the categories, but may be
a mix of two or more architectures.
DSS is classified into the following six frameworks:
1. text-oriented DSS,
2. database-oriented DSS,
3. spreadsheet-oriented DSS,
4. solver-oriented DSS,
5. rule-oriented DSS,
6. compound DSS.
. A compound DSS is the most popular classification for a
DSS. It is a hybrid system that includes two or more of the
five basic structures described
DSSs
which
perform
selectedcognitivedecision-making
functions and are based onartificial
intelligenceorintelligent
agentstechnologies are calledIntelligent
Decision Support Systems(IDSS)
The
nascent
field
ofDecision
engineeringtreats the decision itself as an
engineered object, and applies engineering
principles
such
asDesignandQuality
assuranceto an explicit representation of
the elements that make up a decision.
Time/Place Framework
Same Time/Same Place
decision room
Important Characteristics
of a GDSS
Specially Designed Information
System
Goal of Supporting Groups of
Decision Makers
Easy to Learn and Use
May be designed for one type of
problem or for many
organizational decisions
Designed to encourage group
activities
Level 2: Decision-Making
Support
Decision Modeling and Group Decision
Techniques aimed at reducing Uncertainty
and that occur in the group decision
process
adds capabilities for modeling and
decision analysis
planning and financial models
decision trees
probability assessment models
resource allocation models
Groupware Technologies
Groupware technologies
Groupware is defined as any software that enables
group collaboration over a network.
These technologies have the potential to increase
collaboration at a distance while reducing the cost of
travel and the time knowledge workers waste in
transit.
Groupware provides
flexible communication structures (connecting people
in new ways),
increased communication speed,
increased work performance and productivity,
organizational memory capability, etc.
Examples of Groupware
Technologies include:
Shared authoring tools such as MS Office applications (Word,
Excel, etc.) which include common word processing programs,
graphics programs and sound-editing facilities. Many standalone applications can be considered as groupware if they can
access and modify a document on the web or a common server
E-mail systems such as MS Outlook Express, support multiple
text-based communications and is the most often used
groupware Online forums are real-time, text-based systems that
allow group posting and response to text messages. They are
self-archiving, in that the sequence of text-based conversations
involving dozens or even hundreds of contributors is maintained
for review by others
Instant messaging such as AOL messenger, is a growing form
of groupware that allows knowledge workers working away from
their desks to exchange short items of information
Groupware
What is Groupware?
Tools (hardware, software, processes) that
support person-to-person collaboration
This can include e-mail, bulletin boards,
conferencing systems, decision support
systems, video and workflow systems,
etc
Some common groupware acronyms:
Electronic Conferencing
Tools
Electronic conferencing tools facilitate the sharing of information, but in a more interactive
way. Examples include:
Internet forums(also known as message boards or discussion boards) a virtual
discussion platform to facilitate and manage online text messages
Online chat a virtual discussion platform to facilitate and manage real-time text
messages
Instant Messaging
Telephonytelephones allow users to interact
Videoconferencing networked PCs share video and audio signals
Data conferencing networked PCs share a commonwhiteboard that each user can
modify
Application sharing users can access a shared document or application from their
respective computers simultaneously in real time
Electronic meeting systems(EMS) originally these were described as "electronic meeting
systems," and they were built into meeting rooms. These special purpose rooms usually
contained video projectors interlinked with numerous PCs; however, electronic meeting
systems have evolved into web-based, any time, any place systems that will accommodate
"distributed" meeting participants who may be dispersed in several locations.
Benefits of GDSS
supports parallel generation of ideas
supports larger groups
rapid and easy access to external
information
parallel computer discussion
anonymous input
automatic documentation of the
group meetings
Groupware
(Collaborative software)
Collaboration,
with
respect
to
information technology, seems to
have several definitions. Some are
defensible but others are so broad
they lose any meaningful application.
Understanding the differences in
human interactions is necessary to
ensure the appropriate technologies
are employed to meet interaction
needs.
Collaborative Software
Collaborative software helps facilitate the action-oriented
team working together over geographic distances by
providing tools that help communication, collaboration and the
process of problem solving by providing the team with a
common means for communicating ideas and brainstorming.
Additionally, collaborative software may support project
management functions, such as task assignments, timemanagement with deadlines and shared calendars.
The artifacts, the tangible evidence of the problem solving
process, including the final outcome of the collaborative effort,
typically require documentation and archiving of the
process itself, and may involve archiving project plans,
deadlines and deliverables.
Knowledge managementtools
Knowledge creation tools
Information sharing tools
Collaborative project management
tools
Collaborative Project
Management Tools
Collaborative project management tools (CPMT)are
very similar to collaborative management tools (CMT)
except that CMT may only facilitate and manage a certain
group activities for a part of a bigger project or task,
while CPMT covers all detailed aspects of collaboration
activities and management of the overall project and its
related knowledge areas.
Another major difference is that CMT may include social
software, Document Management System (DMS) and
Unified Communication (UC)
while CPMT mostly considers business or corporate
related goals with some kind of social boundaries most
commonly used for project management.
Collaborative project
management tools (CPMT)
CPMT facilitate and manage social or group project based
activities.
Examples include:
Electronic calendars
Project managementsystems
Resource Management
Workflowsystems
Knowledge management
Prediction markets
Extranet systems
Social software
Online spreadsheets
Online artwork proofing, feedback, review and approval tool
Collaborative Management
Tools (CMT)
Synchronous conferencing
E-mail
Faxing
voice mail
Wikis
Web publishing
Revision control
Charting
Document-centric collaboration
Document retention
Document sharing
Document repository
Evaluation and survey
Classification of Multi-participant
Decision -Making structures
Noncollaborative
Team decision structure: Formal participants
and single decision maker
Negotiation decisions
Majority decisions
Communication Networks
The structure of an MDM is primarily based on
the interaction and flow of communication among
the various members.
Communication can be thought as any means by
which information is transmitted to one or more
members of the MDM.
Basic Types of Networks Structures
1.
2.
3.
4.
Wheel Network
Chain Network
Circle Network
Completely Connected Network
Highly Decentralised
2.
The extent to which the decision maker possess the knowledge and
expertise to make the decision.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
1.Size
The most widely studied and consequential component of
group decision making.
Studies show that as the size of a group increases,
individual satisfaction tends to decrease.
As the size increases, the less active members tend to
become noticeably less productive.
Logic suggests that the management of an MDM
requiring consensus or majority is easier when the size is
small.
2.
3.
Electronic boardroom.
2.
Teleconference room.
3.
Group network.
4.
Information centre .
5.
Collaboration laboratory.
6.
Decision room.
Microsoft Exchange
Oracle Office
GroupWise
Team Office
A GDSS Example
Video Conferencing
Groupware system
co-ordination
communication
learning by
knowledge
sharing
social interaction
team building
Group
characteristics
Outcomes
Group
Technology
Persons
Task
Formal
Group
structur
Cultur
e
Physicale
setting
cooperation coordination
Life
cycles
communication
Reflection
Learning
Appropriation
Organisational environment
learning
social
interaction
Individual
rewards
Group vitality
Organisational
outcomes
Emerging
structures
Changes in organisational setting
Basic Principles
Expert Systems
Knowledge
representationformalizes
and
organizes the knowledge. One widely used
representation
is
theproduction
rule,
or
simplyrule.
A rule consists of an IF part and a THEN part
(also called aconditionand anaction).
The IF part lists a set of conditions in some logical
combination.
The piece of knowledge represented by the
production rule is relevant to the line of reasoning
being developed if the IF part of the rule is
satisfied; consequently, the THEN part can be
concluded, or its problem-solving action taken.
Expert systems whose knowledge is represented in
rule form are calledrule-based systems.
Components of an Expert
System
Expert System
Knowledge
Base
User
Interface
Inference
Engine
User
2. Hypothetical Reasoning. In
hypothetical reasoning, the
Knowledge Base can be divided up
into many possible views, aka
worlds.
. This allows the Inference Engine to
explore multiple possibilities in
parallel. In this simple example, the
system may want to explore the
consequences of both assertions,
what will be true if Socrates is living
and what will be true if he is not?