The document discusses decision support systems (DSS), including definitions, components, benefits, and applications. It defines a DSS as an interactive computer-based system that helps decision-makers use data and models to solve semi-structured problems. A DSS incorporates databases, management systems, and models to support individuals and groups in making decisions. It aims to improve decision-making efficiency and control, and can support a variety of domains from healthcare to business.

1. Inam Ul-Haq
Lecturer in Computer Science
University of Education Okara Campus
organizer@dfd-charity.com, inam.bth@gmail.com
DSS, University of Education
Okara Campus
Decision Support Systems
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Define DSS
Decision Making / Problem Solving
Decision Making Process
DSS Incorporates types of IS
Basic Themes & Taxonomy of DSS
DSS Benefits and Components
Applications & Categories
DSS, University of Education
Okara Campus
Contents
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3. • A computer-based information system that supports business or
organizational decision-making activities.
• OR
• Interactive computer-based systems, which help decision makers utilize
data and models to solve unstructured problems. [Gorry and Scott-Morton (1971)]
• OR
• Decision support systems couple the intellectual resources of individuals
with the capabilities of the computer to improve the quality of decisions.
It is a computer-based support system for management decision makers
who deal with semi-structured problems. [Keen and Scott-Morton (1978)]
• What do managers do?
DSS, University of Education
Okara Campus
Decision Support System
• Functions:
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Plan, organize, command, coordinate, control.
• Roles
• Interpersonal, informational, decisional
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4. Decision Making/ Problem
Solving
external
Info
Target problem
goals
reports
queries
info
DATA
DSS, University of Education
Okara Campus
Decision
makers
DECISIONS
Information systems
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5. Decision Making Process
• Decision making process
• Intelligence
• Sensing, finding, identifying, and defining problem/opportunity
• Diagnosing the problem/opportunity
• Generating alternatives
• Choice
• Choosing the best alternative
• Implementation
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Adopting the selected course of action in decision situation.
DSS, University of Education
Okara Campus
• Design
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E.g. MS Excel for Merit List, Grade Distribution

6. DSS Incorporates Types of Info Systems
Executive Information Systems
Expert Systems
Information Reporting Systems
Transaction Processing Systems
3Types of Decisions
Unstructured Decision
Structured
Semi-structured
DSS, University of Education
Okara Campus
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Information system.
Used by managers for making decisions.
Used to support, not to replace people.
Used when the decision is "semi-structured" or "unstructured."
Incorporate a database of some sort.
Incorporate models.
DSS, University of Education
Okara Campus
Basic Themes of DSS
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A communication-driven DSS supports more than one person
working on a shared task; examples include integrated tools like
Google Docs or Groove
A data-driven DSS or data-oriented DSS emphasizes access to
and manipulation of a time series of internal company data and,
sometimes, external data.
A document-driven DSS manages, retrieves, and manipulates
unstructured information in a variety of electronic formats.
A knowledge-driven DSS provides specialized problem-solving
expertise stored as facts, rules, procedures, or in similar structures.
A model-driven DSS emphasizes access to and manipulation of a
statistical, financial, optimization, or simulation model. Modeldriven DSS use data and parameters provided by users to assist
decision makers in analyzing a situation; they are not necessarily
data-intensive. Dicodess is an example of an open source modeldriven DSS generator.
(Created by Daniel Power)
DSS, University of Education
Okara Campus
Taxonomy of DSS
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9. DSS Componets
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DATA
DBMS KBMS MBMS
Database Management System
Knowledge-based Management System
Model-based Management System
Data Generation & Management System
DGMS
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USER
DSS, University of Education
Okara Campus
MODELS
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10. Applications
Airline Reservation system
Canadian National Railway
A Loan Manager can decide whether to grant loan to an
applicant
Decision Making Software
E.g. Logical Decisions (30 days trial)
Expert Choice
DecideIT
1000Minds
DSS, University of Education
Okara Campus
No more seats available
Provide alternative flights you can use
Use the info to make flight plans
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11. • Clinical decision support system for medical diagnosis.
• An engineering firm that has bids on several projects and wants to
know if they can be competitive with their costs.
• DSS is extensively used in business and management. Executive
dashboards and other business performance software allow faster
decision making, identification of negative trends, and better allocation
of business resources.
• A growing area of DSS application, concepts, principles, and
techniques is in agricultural production, marketing for sustainable
development.
• A DSS can be designed to help make decisions on the stock market, or
deciding which area or segment to market a product toward.
DSS, University of Education
Okara Campus
Applications Cont.
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The key DSS characteristics and capabilities are as follows:
1. Support for decision makers in semi-structured and unstructured
problems.
2. Support managers at all levels.
3. Support individuals and groups.
4. Support for interdependent or sequential decisions.
5. Support intelligence, design, choice, and implementation.
6. Support variety of decision processes and styles.
7. DSS should be adaptable and flexible.
8. DSS should be interactive ease of use.
9. Effectiveness, but not efficiency.
10. Complete control by decision-makers.
11. Ease of development by end users.
12. Support modeling and analysis.
13. Data access.
14. Standalone, integration and Web-based
DSS, University of Education
Okara Campus
Characteristics & Capabilities
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Improves personal efficiency
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
Create Innovative ideas to speed up the performance
DSS, University of Education
Okara Campus
DSS Benefits
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14. DSS Categories
 Data-based DSS
 Model-based DSS
Structured
Semi-structure
Data-based
DSS
Unstructured
DSS, University of Education
Okara Campus
Support based DSS (Alter 1980)
Model-based
DSS
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15. References
DSS, University of Education
Okara Campus
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decision_support_system
• Http://www.freedictionary.com/dsss
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decision_making_software
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