Spreadsheet-based DSS Project Deliverables

1. Project analysis, specification and research summary report (25 points) DUE Feb. 27, 2003

a. What is the purpose of the DSS?

b. Who is the target user for the DSS? A specific person? a generic "user"? Tell me as much as you can

about who you envision would use the DSS.

c. Data gathering and summary of findings. Did you interview a potential user? Did you identify relevant

books, articles, web resources? What did you learn?

d. What are the cost elements associated with the estimating task?

e. What are the relevant pricing and profit calculation issues?

f. What analyses and results will the decision maker want to examine?

Submit hardcopy (maximum 5 pages) AND an MS Word document on disk. Team project research reports will be posted on

the Web at DSSResources.COM.

2. Model specification and project plan (25 points) DUE March 27, 2003

a. How will the cost elements be transformed into a bid?

b. What user inputs and stored data are needed to perform the analyses?

c. What is your current plan and sketch of the user interface of the DSS?

d. What tasks need to be completed to build your spreadsheet-based DSS?

Submit hardcopy (maximum 5 pages).

3. Completed Spreadsheet-based DSS (25 points) DUE April 29, 2003

Submit an appropriately labeled diskette with your documentation (#4). DSS will be evaluated based on criteria

like usability, accuracy, use of Excel capabilities, appearance, creativity. Show me the Excel skills you

have learned and show me that you can use them to build a small-scale, model-driven DSS.

Criteria for evaluation of Spreadsheet-based DSS projects (cf., Power, 2002, p. 174)

1.Accuracy: Are the results and calculations correct? Manually calculated a solution? Checked underlying models?

Checked for rounding error?

2.Flexibility: Is it easy to change assumptions, parameters, and values? Is the application well documented so

changes could be made? Is protection enabled? Is it clear how protection can be removed?

3.Understandability: Is it easy to understand the purpose of the model-driven DSS and how it is implemented in the

spreadsheet? Is the purpose clearly stated on a documentation sheet in the spreadsheet application? Are

comments and other tools for internal documentation used where needed and appropriate?

4.Auditability: Is it easy to audit the application? Is the organization of the workbook easy to understand? Can

dependencies be traced in the application?

5.Aesthetics: Are the spreadsheet screens attractive and well designed? Are any printouts easy to read? Apply

Appendix II DSS User-Centered Design Checklist

6.Documentation: Are formulas and related cells clearly defined and identified? Are screen shots included and

explained? Does the written documentation address the purpose of the DSS, the design and development process,

the model(s) and implementation of the model, user information/training issues, suggestions for data that may need

updating, changing, etc. periodically? Is the written documentation useful for explaining and maintaining the DSS?

4. Documentation for the Spreadsheet-based DSS (25 points) DUE April 29, 2003

Both external documentation and documentation within the application is needed. The external documentation

must include printouts from Excel showing how formulas are calculated. You probably want to include at least

one screen shot. The documentation must be readable and useful to a person who wants to understand the

DSS and possibly modify it. Submit hardcopy.

Documentation is both discussion and explanation. How much discussion and explanation you need depends on the software application and the intended user(s).

You probably want the following sections in the external documentation (approx. 3-5 pages of discussion and explanation plus screenshots and printouts of formulas):

I. Introduction and purpose of the application

A. Purpose

B. Intended user

C. Discussion

II. How it works!

A. The model(s), inputs and decision variables

B. Include and explain screen shots

C. User information/training issues

III. Design and development

A. What you did

B. Discussion of data that may need updating, changing, etc.

IV. Maintaining the DSS

Documentation within the DSS includes notes and a documentation page; you may have an online manual or help.

Last updated by D. Power on Monday, April 2003.