ICT158 Introduction to Information Systems

Workshop 5 – Decisions and decision making

This week’s workshop has some exercises relating to the material in Topic 5: Decisions and
decision making.

The exercises are to be handed in as part of your e-Portfolio submission 2. Answer the
questions in the exercises, and include a section for your reflection on how they fit into the
week’s topic and your learning.

Students can work in pairs or small groups to discuss the exercises, but you should write up
the work individually.

At the completion of this tutorial you should have gained practice in:

 Representing decision logic in a decision tree

 Representing decision logic in a decision table
 Creating a multi-criteria decision matrix
 Using Microsoft Excel for what-if analysis and goal seeking
 Identifying structured, unstructured and semi-structured decisions.

TO DO:

Exercise 1: Textbook options: Representing decision logic in a decision tree

NOTE: You do not have to include this exercise in your e-Portfolio. However, be aware
that you might be asked similar questions in assignments or the exam.

The following narrative represents someone’s decision-making process about university

textbooks:

“When I think about getting the required textbook for a unit I have four choices: buy a new
print copy; buy a second-hand print copy; buy electronic; or use the library reserve. If the unit
hasn’t changed since last year I will get a second-hand copy of the textbook as it’s cheaper.
However if it’s a new unit then I will have to buy a new textbook. I always buy the print
version of the textbook if I need to make highlighted notes on the pages. Electronic versions
of the textbooks are also available and if I don’t need to make notes I prefer electronic as I
can carry it everywhere. If I don’t have any money to spend on books then I have to use the
copy in the library.”

Represent the logic of the textbook decision-making using a decision tree. Your tree
should be as efficient as possible (in other words, it should not repeat questions at
different points in the tree unless absolutely necessary).

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Exercise 2: Can I pass? Representing decision logic in a decision table

The assessment criteria for this unit state that to pass, you must achieve 50% in total AND
50% in the exam. Section 11 of the assessment policy also states that if you achieve 50% in
total, you cannot fail outright and must be awarded supplementary assessment.

There are therefore two possible conditions:

 Over 50% in total
 Over 50% in the exam
and three possible outcomes:
 Pass
 Fail
 Supplementary assessment.

Create a decision table that shows all possible combinations of conditions and the
corresponding outcomes.

If the condition to ‘submit all assessable work’ is added, how many possible
combinations now need to be represented in the decision table?

Create a decision table that shows all possible combinations of the three conditions and
the corresponding outcomes.

Exercise 3: Which phone? Using a multi-criteria decision matrix

You are considering buying a mobile phone and have narrowed the choice down to Android,
iOS, or Blackberry. After much research, you have determined the following facts:

 If you want to be able to program it yourself, Android is the best option, and iOS the
worst, with Blackberry somewhere in the middle.
 However, in terms of security, Blackberry is the platform of choice, offering a secure
and reliable means of communicating sensitive information. Android also has some
excellent security tools, but all iPhones, including the latest iPhone5S, have been
compromised physically.
 If media support is what you are after, for (e.g.) making music, taking photographs
or making films, then iOS, with its tie-in with Apple OSX and the rich media legacy of
Apple is the best. Some media applications have been created for Android, but,
despite the Playbook, there is little available of high quality for Blackberry, which
comes last for this feature.
 The availability of additional onboard storage also varies among the three. Here
Android is excellent, Blackberry has some, but iOS is problematic as you only have
the storage that comes with the phone.

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 Represent the information about the phones in a matrix, following the examples of
multi-criteria decision-making in the lecture. Rank each of the phones from 1 to 3 on
each feature, where 1 is best and 3 is worst.

Now consider your own priorities and decide how important each of the features
(programmability, etc) is to you. Rate each feature out of a total of 100. Use this
information to complete the weighted grid.

Based on your multi-criteria decision matrix, determine which phone is the best choice
for you.

Exercise 4: Types of decisions in an organisation

For the organisation you have been working with in earlier sesions, give an example of:

 A structured decision
 A semi-structured decision
 An unstructured decision

that they might make. You may be able to identify decisions directly from information on
their website, or you may have to make educated assumptions based on what you have
learned about the organisation and its business strategy. Explain your reason for the
classification in each case.

What information would the organisation need to have to make each decision?

Exercise 5: Decision support using Excel

NOTE: You do not have to include this exercise in your e-Portfolio. However, be aware
that you might be asked similar questions in assignments or the exam.

Spreadsheets are a powerful tool for decision support. Microsoft Excel provides several built
in functions, particularly ‘what-if’ analysis and goal seeking. We will look at a very simple
example here to illustrate the principles.

Work through the examples here: http://www.excel-easy.com/data-analysis/what-if-

analysis.html . You can download the spreadsheet if you get stuck.

COMPLETING THE WORKSHOP

Complete this workshop by writing up your findings to exercise 2, 3 and 4 as an ePortfolio

report. Your ePortfolio should answer the questions asked in the exercise, and summarise

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your findings. It should also include a section for reflection on what you have learned,
particularly in relating the exercise to
 the week’s topic
 the unit in general
 your own experience.

An example of an e-Portfolio report (from a different unit) is available on Learning

Management System (LMS).