Decision Support System

     

   Decision-support systems (DSS) is Information systems at the organization’s management level that combine data and sophisticated analytical models or data analysis tools to support semistructured and unstructured decision making.

     DSS focus on problems that are unique and rapidly changing, for which the procedure for arriving at a solution may not be fully predefined in advance.
A well-designed DSS aids decision makers in compiling a variety of data from many sources: raw data, documents, personal knowledge from employees, management, executives and business models.
     DSS are often contrasted with more automated decision-making systems known as Decision Management Systems. While academics have perceived DSS as a tool to support decision making processes . DSS users see DSS as a tool to facilitate organizational processes. Some authors have extended the definition of DSS to include any system  that might support decision making.

Typical information that a decision support application might gather and present would be:

• Accessing all of your current information assets, including legacy and relational data sources, cubes, data warehouses, and data marts
• Comparative sales figures between one week and the next
• Projected revenue figures based on new product sales assumptions
• The consequences of different decision alternatives, given past experience in a context that is described 

 

source : ensco.com

Examples of research topics that would be appropriate for Decision Support Systems include the following:

• ·         DSS Foundations à principles, concepts, and theories of enhanced decision making; formal languages and research methods enabling improvements in decision making. It is important that theory validation be carefully addressed.
• ·         DSS Functionality à methods, tools, and techniques for developing thefunctional aspects of enhanced decision making; solver, model, and/or data management in DSSs; rule formulation and management in DSSs; DSS development and use in computer supported cooperative work, negotiation, research and product.
• ·         DSS Interfaces à methods, tools, and techniques for designing and developing DSS interfaces; development, management, and presentation of knowledge in a DSS; coordination of a DSS's interface with its functionality.
• ·         DSS Implementation à experiences in DSS development and utilization; DSS management and updating; DSS instruction/training. A critical consideration must be how specific experiences provide more general implications.
• ·         DSS Evaluation and Impact à evaluation metrics and processes; DSS impact on decision makers, organizational processes and performance.