Decision Support System

Definition
A decision support system (DSS) is a computer-based information system that supports business or organizational decision-making activities. DSSs serve the management, operations, and planning levels of an organization and help to make decisions, which may be rapidly changing and not easily specified in advance. DSSs include knowledge-based systems. A properly designed DSS is an interactive softwarebased system intended to help decision makers compile useful information from a combination of raw data, documents, personal knowledge, or business models to identify and solve problems and make decisions.

Information provided by DSS

Typical information that a decision support application might gather and present would be, (a) Accessing all information assets, including legacy and relational data sources; (b) Comparative data figures; (c) Projected figures based on new data or assumptions; (d) Consequences of different decision alternatives, given past experience in a specific context

Characteristics Of Decision Support System

1. 2. 3. 4. Support individual and group decision making. Easy to develop and deploy. Comprehensive data access. Integrated software. 5. Flexibility.

Advantages Of Decision Support System

Enhance effectiveness Improves personal efficiency

Time saving

Increase decision maker satisfaction Speed up the process of decision making Increases organizational control Encourages exploration and discovery on the part of the decision maker Speeds up problem solving in an organization

Facilitates interpersonal communication Promotes learning or training Generates new evidence in support of a decision Creates a competitive advantage over competition Reveals new approaches to thinking about the problem space Helps automate managerial processes

Disadvantages Of Decision Support System

Monetary cost is hike. Overemphasize decision process and decision making. Assumption of relevance. Transfer of power from man to machine. Unanticipated effects may overload decision makers. Obscuring responsibility of the users of decision support system. False belief in objectivity. Status reduction. Information overload.

Components Of Decision Support System

DSS components may be classified as:

Inputs: Factors, numbers, and characteristics to analyze User Knowledge and Expertise: Inputs requiring manual analysis by the user Outputs: Transformed data from which DSS "decisions" are generated Decisions: Results generated by the DSS based on user criteria

Types of decision support system

There are a number of Decision Support Systems. These can be categorized into five types: Communication-driven:

Most communications-driven DSSs are targeted at internal teams, including partners. Its purpose are to help conduct a meeting, or for users to collaborate. The most common technology used to deploy the DSS is a web or client server. Examples: chats and instant messaging softwares, online collaboration and net-meeting systems.

Data-driven :

Most data-driven DSSs are targeted at managers, staff and also product/service suppliers. It is used to query a database or data warehouse to seek specific answers for specific purposes. It is deployed via a main frame system, client/server link, or via the web. Examples: computer-based databases that have a query system to check (including the incorporation of data to add value to existing databases.

Document-driven :

Document-driven DSSs are more common, targeted at a broad base of user groups. The purpose of such a DSS is to search web pages and find documents on a specific set of keywords or search terms. The usual technology used to set up DSS are via the web or a client/server system.

Knowledge-driven :

Knowledge-driven DSSs or 'knowledgebase' are they are known, are a catch-all category covering a broad range of systems covering users within the organization setting it up, but may also include others interacting with the organization - for example, consumers of a business. It is essentially used to provide management advice or to choose products/services. The typical deployment technology used to set up such systems could be client/server systems, the web, or software running on stand-alone PCs.

Model-driven :

Model-driven DSSs are complex systems that help analyze decisions or choose between different options. These are used by managers and staff members of a business, or people who interact with the organization, for a number of purposes depending on how the model is set up - scheduling, decision analyses etc. These DSSs can be deployed via software/hardware in stand-alone PCs, client/server systems, or the web.

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. DSS technology levels (of hardware and software) may include:

The actual application that will be used by the user. This is the part of the application that allows the decision maker to make decisions in a particular problem area. The user can act upon that particular problem. Generator contains Hardware/software environment that allows people to easily develop specific DSS applications. This level makes use of case tools or systems such as Crystal, AIMMS, and iThink.

Tools include lower level hardware/software. DSS generators including special languages, function libraries and linking modules

An iterative developmental approach allows for the DSS to be changed and redesigned at various intervals. Once the system is designed, it will need to be tested and revised for the desired outcome.

High-level Decision Support System Requirements

Data collection from multiple sources (sales data, inventory data, supplier data, market research data. etc.) Data formatting and collation A suitable database location and format built for decision support -based reporting and analysis Robust tools and applications to report, monitor, and analyze the data

Application

Decision support system in oil spill cases (literature review)

Document Information: Title: Decision support system in oil spill cases (literature review) Author(s): S. Zahra Pourvakhshouri, (S. Zahra Pourvakhshouri is a Student at the Institute of Advanced Technology (ITMA), University Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.), Shattri Mansor, (Shattri Mansor is a Lecturer at the Institute of Advanced Technology (ITMA), University Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.) Citation: S. Zahra Pourvakhshouri, Shattri Mansor, (2003) "Decision support system in oil spill cases (literature review)", Disaster Prevention and Management, Vol. 12 Iss: 3, pp.217 - 221

Keywords: Decision-support systems, Disaster management, Emergency services, Geographical information systems, Oil, Pollution Article Literature review type: DOI: 10.1108/09653560310480695 (Permanent URL) Publisher: MCB UP Ltd Abstract: Oil pollution is one of the most important issues affecting the marine coastal environments all over the world. There are a large number of organizations to propose plans for managing the problems that coastal areas face, including various methods to combat the oil spills. This project proposes to achieve a decision support system (DSS) to assist the users/managers to choose the most suitable method for combating oil spills, according to the coastal area sensitivity. In this regard and in order to build an appropriate DSS model, some relevant documents regarding oil spills and spills management strategies, GIS-based modeling, and DSS planning were reviewed, some of which are referred to here.

References
http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=871027&show=html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decision_support_system http://www.gdrc.org/decision/dss-types.html http://dsssystem.blogspot.com/2010/01/disadvantages-of-decision-support.html http://www.microstrategy.com/decision-support-system http://dssresources.com/faq/index.php?action=artikel&id=130

Done by, E.Kaviyavarshini II-MCA