Chapter 3:

CHARACTERISTICS OF
DSS
What is DSS?
Decision Support System

An interactive, flexible, and adaptable

Computer Based Information System
(CBIS), specially developed for
supporting the solution of a non
structured management problem for
improved decision making.
 1. Ability to support solutions to complex
problems
2. Fast response to frequent changes in
scenarios
3. Quick ability to try different strategies for
different problems configurations
4. New insights and learning through model
Benefits of analysis
5. Facilitates communication, thus improving
DSS: teamwork
6. Improved management control and
performance
7. Cost savings in reducing wrong decision
making
8. Objective decision-consistent decision
9. Improving managerial effectiveness
10. Improving productivity of analyst
Characteristics and Capabilities of a DSS

1. Semi-structured decisions 8. Ease of use

2. For managers at different levels 9. Effectiveness not efficiency
3. For group and individuals 10. Humans control the machine
4. Interdependent or sequential 11. Evolutionary usage
decisions
12. Ease of construction
5. Support intelligence, design, choice
13. Modeling
6. Support variety of decision styles and
14. Knowledge
processes
7. Adaptability and flexibility
Components of a DSS
Components of a DSS

1 2

4 Optional

3
 DM Subsystem is composed of:
Database: a collection of
interrelated organized data
Data Database Management Systems
(DBMS): enables storage, retrieval
Management and control of database
(DM) Data Directory: a catalog of all the
data in the database
Query facility: provides the basis of
access to data
 MM composed of:
Model base: contains routine, statistical,
financial, management science and
other models
Model base management system: a
software system for model creation,
Model generating new routines, reports; model
updating and changing; and data
Management manipulation
(MM) Modeling language: High level language
or Fourth-Generation language
Model directory: a catalog of all models
in the model base
Model Execution, Integration, and
Command: the execution of the model
base control through model
management
 Are a software and a
hardware that provides the
Dialog user interface for DSS. It also
Subsystem: deals with ease of use,
accessibility, and human-
machine interactions.
 An optional tool in enhancing
regular DSS capabilities. The
knowledge is compose of one or
Knowledge
more expert systems. A DSS that
Subsystem: include knowledge subsystem is
called intelligent DSS, a DSS/ES or
knowledge-based DSS.
 An intermediary allows a manager to benefit
from a DSS:
Staff assistants have specialized knowledge
The User: about management problems and some
experience with decision support
The user, manager or technology.
decision maker can Expert tool users perform tasks that the
be an individual or a problem solver does not have the skill or
training to perform.
group, depending on
who is responsible for Business analysts have a knowledge of the
application area, a formal business
the decision, and administration education and considerable
provides the human skill in using DSS construction tools.
intellect. Facilitators control and coordinate the use of
software to support the work of people
working in groups, and are also responsible
for the conduct of workgroups sessions.
 Major hardware options are:
Time sharing network
Mainframe computer

DSS Hardware Minicomputer

Personal computer
and Software Distributed system

DSS software is discussed in the

next topic.
 1. Type of support: Data-oriented versus
Model-oriented
Classification 2. Institutional vs. Ad Hoc DSS
of DSS and 3. Degree of Nonprocedural
their support 4. Individual vs. Group DSS
5. Custom-made vs. Ready-made
systems
 Data-oriented:
File Drawer systems
Data Analysis systems
Data-oriented Analysis information systems
versus Model-oriented:
Model-oriented Accounting model
Representation model
Optimization model
Suggestion model
 Institutional DSS deals with
decisions of a recurring nature.

Institutional
versus
Ad Hoc DSS: Ad Hoc DSS deals with specific
problems that are usually
neither anticipated nor
recurring.
 Procedural language such as
COBOL, Java, C and etc., require
step-by-step specifications of how
data are to be retrieved and how
computations are to be performed.

Degree of
Nonprocedural: Non procedural languages (fourth-
generation language) the system
itself is programmed so that
programmers required to specify
only what results are needed. There
is no need to specify the sequence
of execution.
 For individual DSS, most of the time
the decision reached is minor
Individual decisions.

versus
Group DSS:
Major decisions are collectively
reached through group DSS.
 Custom-made DSS normally cater for
individual users and organizations.
Custom-made
versus
Ready-made Ready-made DSS is a generic DSS
systems that can be used in several
organizations with similar business
nature.
 In constructing a DSS, three levels of
DSS technology has been derived:
Specific DSS: the DSS application that
actually accomplishes the work.
DSS Generators: is an integrated
Technology development software that provides
Levels a set capabilities to build a specific
DSS quickly, inexpensively and easily.
DSS Tools: example of DSS tools is
graphics, editors, query systems,
random number generators and
spreadsheets.