Session 6

Decision Support Systems 150:127 -- D. Power

Today's Agenda -- Thursday, January 25, 2007

  • TUT 7: Creating Custom Functions. On p. 361 print Loan-7 workbook formula sheet (show row & col headings and grid lines). On p. 366 print BMIData (2) formulas in landscape, etc. (step 5). On p. 380 print Module 1 step 3 (add comments). On p. 392 print Module 1 and step 5 print worksheet and formula sheet (show row & col headings and grid lines). On p. 397 print the code for the Dues function (with comments) and step 5 formulas in landscape. Staple in the above order (8 pages?).

To Do and Upcoming

For Class Session 7 -- Tuesday, Jan. 30

  • Presentations on [36] Power and Roth “Ertl's Decision Support Journey” and [9] Stevens "Redland Genstar Data Mart"
  • Lecture Ch. 4 "Designing and Developing DSS"
  • What is a Decision Support Readiness Audit (Appendix I)? How does it differ from a Decision Process Audit (p. 58)?
  • What kind of DSS does Mr. X need?

    • For Class Session 8 -- Thursday, Feb. 1, work on Excel Tutorial 8 "Creating Custom Forms"

    For Class Session 9 -- Tuesday, Feb 6, TUT 9: Examining Variables, exam review

    For Class Session 10 -- Thursday, Feb. 8 Exam #1: DSS Ch. 1-4 and Excel concepts (100 pts.)

    1. The exam will consist of 30 Multiple Choice questions (2 pts. each) over Ch. 1-4 (60 pts. total); 10 Multiple Choice Excel questions (1 pts. each, 10 pts. total); 5 of 6 short answer questions (2 pts. each) over DSS book/Ask Dan (10 pts. total); an open book case analysis essay question (10 pts.) prepared as a 1 page memo using MS Word; hands-on Excel (10 pts.). Total 100 points.
    2. The open book essay question will be something like: You just received the following email from your boss. Please send her a detailed reply explaining your assessment of the issues she raises and making one or more recommendations on how to proceed. You'll want to be diplomatic in your answer, but try to fill her in on what you've learned. Assume you are a first year employee in a firm with 500-700 employees in Des Moines, Iowa. The email reads: "At the recent industry conference, I attended a presentation on computerized decision support and heard about DSS at Ertl and Redland Genstar. I think we need a data warehouse and a DSS and I heard you took a class in DSS. You can read the cases at DSSResources.com. How should we proceed? What do you recommend so we can gain a competitive advantage with a DSS?" You'll want to build on the material in the DSS book Chapters 1-4 and on our discussions of the cases.