DSS & Warehousing Systems Chapter 4 Efrem Mallach Prepared by Luvai Motiwalla Irwin/McGraw-Hill Copyright © 2000 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

Types Of Decision Support Systems Introduction Matching the DSS to the decision type Individual and group DSS Matching DSS to the decision maker’s psychological type Usage modes DSS usage intermediaries Institutional versus ad hoc DSS

Introduction-cont’d The seven basic DSS categories Which categories can be considered as data oriented and and which as model oriented? Pages 129 to 143 Knowing the different types of DSS is useful because it enables us to zero in quickly on types of tools and techniques that are likely to be useful with a new problem. The seven DSS categories are, 1)file drawer systems 2)data analysis systems 3)analysis information systems 4)accounting models 5)representation models 6)optimization systems 7)suggestion systems. Data oriented categories: data oriented DSS include file drawer systems, data analysis systems and analysis information systems. Model oriented DSS include: accounting models, representational models, optimization systems, and suggestion systems.

Introduction What is process oriented DSS? The categories corresponding to modern concept of data warehouse. Pages 129 to 143 Process oriented DSS: Optimization and suggestion systems whose recommendations are based on human decision making process rather than on an analysis of an underlying system, are process oriented DSS. The categories corresponding to modern concept of data warehousing are file drawer systems, data analysis systems, and analysis information systems.

Matching DSS to the Decision Type Which types of DSS are are most helpful with structured decisions, semi structured decision, and unstructured decision? Pages 143 to 145 Different DSS categories help make different types of decisions. Suggestion systems are often well matched to structured decisions.Other types of model- oriented DSS usually fit semi structured decisions well. Data oriented DSS are most useful with unstructured decisions.

Individual and Group DSS Benefits associated with individual DSS, Multi individual DSS and group DSS. Pages 144 to 145 Certain DSS are used by individuals making individual decisions.The final decision is made by one person only, though people in that type of situation often discuss options with colleagues and seek their advice. Other DSS are used by individuals in making decisions that are made by many people across an organization, where consistency is required. We call such DSS as multi individual DSS. Finally some DSS support decisions that are inherently made by a group as a whole. Such group DSS must take into account not only the models and data of the decision, but also the dynamics of the group decision making process.

Matching DSS to the Decision Maker’s Psychological Type-cont’d Differences between introverted and extroverted personality types affecting DSS usage. Page 147 Different types of DSS suit the needs of people having different personality types. An introverted person may prefer a group DSS that allows for thinking before responding. An extroverted person would lean towards a interactive decision.

Matching DSS to the Decision Maker’s Psychological Type -cont’d Differences between sensing and intuitive types affecting DSS usage. Page 147 A person with a preference for sensing may want a large number of facts and may therefore tend to be well served by a data oriented DSS or by complete, detailed models. One with an intuitive preference will tend to reach a conclusion on the basis of hunches that require less in the way of data.But this type of people have trouble in justifying this conclusion to others of a more sensing preference.

Matching DSS to the Decision Maker’s Psychological Type -cont’d Differences between thinking and feeling personality types affecting DSS usage. Page 148 Thinkers base decisions on carefully thought out logic but sometimes ignore human factors and values. Thinkers may opt to make a decision solely on the basis of an optimization or suggestion model DSS. People with a feeling preference, on the other hand, may focus on people in their decision making. Left on their own, they would gravitate less towards this type of DSS.

Matching DSS to the Decision Maker’s Psychological Type Differences between judging and perceiving personality types affecting DSS usage. Page 148 The person with a judging style prefers to reach closure on a subject quickly, gathering only as much data as he or she feels necessary for this purpose. Model oriented DSS suit this personality type well. The perceptive individual has the opposite tendency: to gather as much information as possible while keeping the decisions options open.These types like data oriented DSS, however their information gathering tendency may mean putting off the decision itself as long as possible.

Usage Modes The four basic DSS usage modes. 1 subscription mode 2 Terminal mode 3 Clerk mode 4 Intermediary mode Pages 149 to 150 Decision support systems can be used in four modes: Subscription mode: refers to situations where a decision maker receives DSS output on a regular basis. Terminal mode; refers to direct use of a computer by the decision maker.The word terminal implies a decision maker using a terminal to interact with a multi user computer. Clerk mode; means that a decision maker fills out a form to specify the information to be retrieved, or the operations to be performed, by the DSS. After the DSS performs its operations its output is delivered to the decision maker. Intermediary mode; refers to situations where a decision maker uses the DSS via a professional assistant, who contributes actively to posing the problem to the DSS.

DSS Usage Intermediaries The three types of DSS usage intermediaries: 1Staff assistants 2 Technical support staff 3 Business analysts Page 150 Staff assistants: are general helpers to top executives. A staff assistants job is to save the executive’s valuable time. Technical support staff: have specific skills in the computer aspects of using a DSS. For instance retrieving a data from a database may require mastering a query language. Business analysts: are people with specific skills in management science, operation research, production planning, financial analysis, or other fields.. They assist decision makers by figuring out exactly what question should be posed to the DSS, by designing stimulation models.

Institutional Versus Ad Hoc DSS Why does the difference between institutional versus ad hoc DSS matter? Pages 151 to 152 An institutional DSS is one that is part of the fabric of an organization. It is used regularly, usually by more than one person. An ad hoc DSS is developed for one time use, often by a single individual, with the expectation that it will be discarded after the need for it has gone away. The expected usage affects the documentation, error, handling, user interface, training, and technical support that the DSS must have.