DSS News is a free biweekly newsletter from DSSResources.COM about Decision Support Systems. ************************************************************ DSS News D. J. Power, Editor November 7, 2004 -- Vol. 5, No. 23 A Bi-Weekly Publication of DSSResources.COM ************************************************************ DSS News is now listed at FreeTechMail.org A Search Engine for IT Newsletters Find Hundreds of Other Free IT Newsletters ************************************************************ Featured: * Ask Dan! - What are the "best" DSS case studies at DSSResources.COM? * DSS News Releases ************************************************************ DSS News Has Over 1100 Subscribers ************************************************************ Ask Dan! What are the "best" DSS case studies at DSSResources.COM? by Dan Power This question and similar ones like "What case should I read first?" or "What case is relevant to X?" or "Have you posted the answers to the case questions?" are common in my email. This Ask Dan! focuses on the various DSSResources.COM cases and tries to provide a guide for those who want a starting point to read and review them. It doesn't provide answers to the review questions! About every 6 weeks, my goal is to publish a new case study relevant to Decision Support Systems at DSSResources.COM. We have been working with vendors, consultants and IS/IT staff in organizations to identify, review and verify case examples since February 2001. In about 44 months, we have published 39 DSS cases. Some cases have been longer and more comprehensive than have others, some have focused on the process of building a specific DSS, whereas others serve as examples of specific DSS. Some of the cases are based upon field research, but many cases have been provided by vendors. In general, we have tried to confirm and verify the information in vendor supplied cases. At the time each case was published at DSSResources.COM, it was my judgment that it made a contribution. When possible, I have attempted to find cases that provided examples of each category of DSS in my expanded DSS framework. Some of the cases have withstood the test of time better than others. All of the cases are in the free zone or in the subscriber zone archive. I am always looking for detailed vendor provided cases and I'm interested in opportunities for field research. The first case that we published was by Lyons (2001). It focused on a data-driven DSS implemented by Maytag International. The DSS was used to track sales and analyze profitability for refrigeration, laundry, floor care, cooking and dishwasher product categories. It was built using development products from Dimensional Insight. The OLAP database was accessed in a client-server environment. Maytag International managers were in the "process of evaluating DI-WebDiver" to provide web access to the decision support data. The next case published at DSSResources.COM was written by Decisioneering Staff (2001). The case focused on a model-driven, spreadsheet-based DSS built using the Crystal Ball add-in to Excel. The case described a DSS with a very different purpose and a different group of targeted users compared to the Maytag International case. Bankers in the commercial loan department at SunTrust wanted to quantify the risks associated with hotel loans to help determine if the profitability was worth accepting the risk of approving the loan. The case explained the five steps to analyzing hotel construction loans using a simulation model built with Crystal Ball. Recently, I taught a course on Decision Support Systems to a group of MBA students in Hong Kong. We reviewed and discussed 15 case studies from DSSResources.COM. With students majoring in Management Information Systems, I change the mix and focus on fewer cases and those cases that have more technical content and description. My approach is to begin with a case that focuses on the process of building DSS in a company. Two cases that are very process-oriented are Power and Roth (2003) and Stevens (2004). Professor Roth and I started following DSS/IT developments at Ertl Company in 1997. The Ertl case (Power and Roth, 2003) describes an extended process to use information technologies and a data-driven DSS with a new data warehouse to improve management decision-making. The case covers a period of rapid change in technologies (1990-1998) and one can argue that Ertl had some serious limitations and constraints that reduced the likelihood that the IS/IT projects would be a major success. The vendors and IT staff did however win some recognition for the DSS projects. The case illustrates the challenges of implementing decision support technologies in a traditional, mainframe computing environment. Ertl IS and management staff embarked on a decision support journey and the IS staff were supposed to lead the transformation of the firm and hence improve the profitability of the firm. In general, students and those of us interested in continuing DSS education should read cases about a wide variety of decision support systems. I try to pick cases using the expanded DSS framework and then start through the list by having students first read a case that showcases a communications-driven DSS. I usually start the discussion of each case by focusing on the type of DSS, the targeted users, the enabling technology, and the purpose of the DSS. Following that overview of the case, the discussion should then focus upon the key issues in that particular case. An example of a simple, communications-driven DSS is the Naval Bureau of Medicine case by eRoom Staff (2002). The Naval Medical Information Management Center (NMIMC) staff is tasked with providing global information services to personnel within Navy Medicine. NMIMC implemented the eRoom digital workplace solution to create a virtual work environment for Navy Medicine CIOs and their staffs. It provided a central forum where CIOs could trade experiences, make acquisition decisions, discuss upcoming legislation, and manage the lifecycle of ongoing projects and assignments. A major issue is the potential problems of such a large number of participants supported in an asynchronous decision support environment. Many of the DSSResources.COM cases focus on data-driven DSS. Cases have been published from most of the major vendors including Alphablox (2001), Brio (2001), Business Objects (2001), Cognos (2002), Comshare (2001), DataBeacon (2001), Microsoft (2002), MicroStrategy (2001), ProClarity (2002) and Teradata (2002). A more vendor neutral case is Barton (2003), "The George Washington University Data-Driven Decision Support Project." Peter Barton is Manager, Data Administration, The George Washington University. Eric Vollmer (2002) described the implementation at Anderson Clayton Corporation of a "real-time" business intelligence capability for their customers, i.e. cotton growers. The DSS was built using arcplan software. Whether the system is a good example of "real-time" decision support is questionable, but the screen shot helps readers understand a simple, data-driven DSS. Case examples of document-driven DSS include Stellent (2004) and Documentum (2003). Stellent Staff (2004) describe the implementation of Stellent Universal Content Management software for managing the University of Alberta's administrative policies and procedures manual. The Documentum (2003) case focuses on BFG Aerospace. BFG adopted a document-driven DSS called AirFLOW to support the complicated workflow approval procedures for non-routine aircraft maintenance. Two case examples of spatial DSS help readers distinguish between data and model-driven, spatial DSS. Myron Messak (2003) reported a system he helped develop in Mayfield, NY. The decision support system was built using Geographic Information System (GIS) software to help Fire and Emergency Medical Services personnel. Sugumaran and Meyer (2003) report on WEBSDSS. The web-based spatial decision support system (WEBSDSS) they developed is a prototype focused on watershed levels in the Columbia, Missouri area. A user inputs relative weighing factors for criteria, then the system outputs a map with a graphical display to help choose an area for future development. By changing criteria, the user can perform "what if?" analysis. A number of cases describe knowledge-driven DSS. My favorite is of course Pontz and Power (2002). Craig Pontz works for the Bureau of Unemployment Compensation Benefits and Allowances, Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry. The case describes the Expert Assistance System for Examiners (EASE). Craig was the major author of this web-based DSS developed to help examiners conduct fair and consistent determinations for unemployment claims. Both EXSYS (2002) and Biss (2002) describe other knowledge-driven DSS. Model-driven DSS are probably not as well represented as they should be in the DSSResources.COM archive. Relevant cases include Young, Rabone, Akenhead and Gregrone (2001), Wasyluk and Saaty (2001), Palisade Staff (2001), Decisioneering Staff (2001), arcplan Staff (2001) and ProModel Staff (2004). The Promodel case describes a computerized simulation model that was used in a special study for MeritCare Health System and that might eventually be used as a DSS. The TechComm Associates Staff (2001) case describes how and why Liberty Brass changed their estimating software from a model-driven, spreadsheet-based approach to a data-driven, engineered cost approach. Wasyluk and Saaty (2001) describe a model-driven, group DSS used for resource allocation at the U.S. Department of Veteran's Affairs. This Ask Dan! tries to convey the breadth of DSS cases at DSSResources.COM and how they fit into the broad realm of computerized decision support. All of the cases are listed at URL http://www.dssresources.com/cases/index.html . Once again ... we are always looking for interesting cases to publish. Please contact me with your ideas, materials and suggestions, Daniel.Power@DSSResources.COM. ************************************************************ Put your ad here! Reach specialists interested in DSS Email power@dssresources.com for details ************************************************************ DSS News - October 22 to November 5, 2004 Read them at DSSResources.COM and search the DSS News Archive 11/05/2004 Best Software and e-Analytics partner to bring powerful business intelligence tools to accountants. 11/05/2004 Healthcare CIOs can increase organizational revenue through data sales. 11/04/2004 Tucson's GroupSystems Corp. donates decision-making products and services to U.S. White House. 11/04/2004 Fair Isaac introduces Blaze Advisor for Microsoft .NET. 11/04/2004 U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) chooses Visual Analytics' Data Clarity Suite to support its national Multi-Information Sharing Initiative (MISI). 11/04/2004 Parascript expands into business intelligence market with announcement of new subsidiary. 11/03/2004 Meet Oracle's development leaders at Oracle(R) OpenWorld San Francisco. 11/02/2004 Location based services: is the GSM camp lost? asks ABI Research. 11/02/2004 Wipro Technologies to help property and casualty insurance companies improve their underwriting efficiency. 11/02/2004 Oracle to unveil new transportation planning application. 11/01/2004 Computer thefts net breach of 2.5 million personal records in 2004. 11/01/2004 Top library software provider Dynix selects MicroStrategy for business intelligence reporting and analysis. 11/01/2004 Cognos wins 2004 DM Review Readership Award for best business intelligence solution. 10/29/2004 Fair Isaac announces version 2.2 of model builder for faster development and deployment of decision systems. 10/29/2004 Netezza and Epsilon transform data into business intelligence for top five financial services company. 10/28/2004 Fair Isaac announces new enterprise origination solutions. 10/28/2004 arcplan dynaSight expands connectivity to IBM DB2 cube views. 10/28/2004 Majority of supply chain improvement efforts still focus on short-term gains and remain disconnected from business plan, says CSC survey. 10/27/2004 Gearworks launches new version of etrace software for GPS-enabled mobile workforce management. 10/27/2004 U.S. Bank and Concur Technologies partner to deliver powerful travel benchmarking service. 10/26/2004 Epicor(R) enhances financials and supply chain management suites. 10/26/2004 Fair Isaac and Experian partner to deliver more effective customer management capabilities. 10/26/2004 Problem-solving a key to productivity and profitability. 10/26/2004 Ekahau helps Heartlands Hospital optimize its operating rooms. 10/25/2004 Ascential Software meets rapidly evolving enterprise data integration requirements with technology innovations and product advancements. 10/25/2004 GMAC-RFC unveils exciting new eCommerce business tools to help lenders streamline the mortgage loan process. 10/25/2004 Document Processing Systems eMortgage Studio powers fully paperless, electronically registered closings. 10/25/2004 Celequest and Ascential Software partner to provide next generation solution for operational performance management. 10/25/2004 Mortgage lender announces wireless access to web-based loan information through cell phones and PDAs. 10/25/2004 AppIntelligence and Fiserv join forces to stop fraud at loan origination. ************************************************************ Subscribe to DSSResources.COM. One month $10, six months $25. ************************************************************ DSS News is copyrighted (c) 2004 by D. J. Power. Please send your questions to daniel.power@dssresources.com. |