Subject: Call for papers: Decision Support Systems for Collaborative 
Design and Manufacturing
From: "Ian Winship" email ian@iwinship.plus.com
Date: Sat, 4 Aug 2007 19:47:12 +0100
X-Message-Number: 10

Call for papers: Decision Support Systems for Collaborative Design and 
Manufacturing
http://www.inderscience.com/browse/callpaper.php?callID=737

A special issue of International Journal of Computer Applications in 
Technology
http://www.inderscience.com/ijcat

Decision Support Systems (DSS) are computer-based systems that support some 
or several phases of the individual, team, organisational or 
inter-organisational decision making process. DSS may involve many 
technologies drawn from multiple disciplines, including information science, 
cognitive science, computer science, economics, engineering, business and 
management science, and statistics, among others. DSS can be categorised 
based on the complexity of the decision problem space and group composition. 
The combination of the dimensions of the problem space and group 
compositions in distributed collaborative environments in terms of time, 
spatial distribution and interaction results in a set of requirements that 
need to be addressed in different phases of the decision-making process.

Research on DSS can be focused on both technical and organisational issues. 
From a technical perspective, advances in information technology and 
artificial intelligence have improved the support capabilities for DSS; in 
particular, artificial intelligence (AI)-based technologies such as 
knowledge-based systems, neural networks, fuzzy logic, cased-based 
reasoning, genetic algorithms, machine learning, data mining algorithms, 
intelligent agents, soft computing, and user intelligent interfaces, among 
others, have been recognised as significant enhancement tools for DSS. 
Knowledge-intensive intelligent decision support systems (KIIDSS) have now 
become more critical and widely applied in collaborative decision-making 
processes, in which the decision support is exploited from the perspective 
of synthesis of collaborative decision-making process modelling, knowledge 
management, and decision problem solving support.

Collaborative design and manufacturing essentially involves decision-making 
processes that require rigorous evaluation, comparison and selection of 
design and manufacturing solution alternatives and optimisation from a 
global perspective. Increasing design and manufacturing knowledge and 
supporting better collaborations among customers, engineers and partners to 
make intelligent decisions can result in higher quality products.

This special issue is aimed at reviewing the state-of-the-art research and 
applications, addressing the major challenges and issues of developing and 
applying intelligent decision support systems, in particular KIIDSS, for 
collaborative design and manufacturing. The guest editors invite authors to 
submit their original papers to this special issue. Papers of both 
theoretical and practical application nature are welcome. The guest editors 
are also interested in authoritative review of the state of the art and 
directions for future research in the field.

The scope of the issue covers, but not limited to:

Decision theories, including game theory, utility theory, probability 
theory, fuzzy set theory, Bayesian theory, among others for collaborative 
design and manufacturing
Collaborative decision support models, framework and architecture, and 
infrastructure, including communication, coordination, integration and 
interoperation strategies, mechanisms, protocols, and standards for 
collaborative design and manufacturing
Development and applications of intelligent and knowledge intensive decision 
support systems deploying specific AI based technologies, such as 
knowledge-based systems, neural networks, fuzzy logic, cased-based 
reasoning, genetic algorithms, machine learning, data mining algorithms, 
intelligent agents, soft computing, and user intelligent interfaces, among 
others, for collaborative design and manufacturing
Decision support systems for collaborative enterprise business and 
management
Decision support systems for collaborative supply chain management
Decision support systems for collaborative product lifecycle management

Important Dates

Full paper submission due: December 31, 2007
First round review completed: April 30, 2008
Final notification: May 30, 2008
Final manuscripts due: July 31, 2008 

Ian Winship
ian@iwinship.plus.com