*********************************************************** DSS News D. J. Power, Editor July 16, 2006 -- Vol. 7, No. 15 A Free Bi-Weekly Publication of DSSResources.COM approximately 1,700 Subscribers ************************************************************ "Decision Support for Global Enterprises" Conference Check ICDSS2007.org ************************************************************ Featured: * Ask Dan! - Are computerized decision aids decision support systems? * DSS Conferences * DSS News Releases ************************************************************ Check the article by Ben Shneiderman on Treemap Visualizations at DSSResources.com ************************************************************ Ask Dan! Are computerized decision aids decision support systems? by Dan Power Editor, DSSResources.COM The term computerized decision aid refers to a very diverse set of tools based on a variety of techniques. Some are complex and sophisticated and hence should be classified as decision support systems. Other so-called computerized decision aids are simple and unsophisticated, i.e., a web page with information or a simple web-based checklist and hence are not DSS. The phrase decision aid has a much longer history in the academic literature than the term decision support system and the decision aid term is used broadly. A decision aid provides assistance or help for reaching a conclusion and making a choice among alternatives. In English, the verb "aid" means to give support or assistance and hence the overlap and sometimes confusion with the concept decision support system. At Google a search for decision aid returns 127,000,000 results and decision support system returns 365,000,000. I could sample only a small fraction of the results. One definition on the Web of a "decision aid" is "an object used to assist a person in deriving optimal decisions, such as a particular medical diagnosis, when to change a component on an aircraft, or which site to investigate on a scouting mission in time of war. Decision aids are computer-based, i.e., algorithms, software and/or hardware (cf., http://www.intota.com)." Christophe David suggests a decision aid is all about "helping people to make choices between several options (actions), based on several aspects (criteria), taking into account the individual preferences. In practice, this means helping people to find the compromise they prefer, considering their own perception of the world." The website Request for Proposal templates (rfp-templates.com) notes "Broadly speaking, a decision-support systems (DSS) is simply a computer system that helps you make a decision by leveraging the multi-criteria decision-making model. DSS provide a means for decision-makers to make decisions on the basis of more complete information and analysis. Among the main advantages of the use of DSS are the following: 1) Increased number of alternatives examined, 2) Better understanding of the business, 3) Fast response to unexpected situations, 4) Improved communication, 5) Cost savings, 6) Better decisions, 7) More effective teamwork, 8) Time savings and 9) Better use of data resources." This site is really selling simple computerized decision aids and their DSS definition is drastically narrowed and incorrect. Also, the broad benefits they claim for DSS are exaggerated. My DECision AID project was a computerized collection of heuristics and a multicriteria model (Power, 1998). Most decision aids focus on the convergent phase of the decision process and help a specific decision maker come closer to making a decision or choice among alternatives. Decision aids range from a simple heuristic like mark-up pricing to a very complex tool based upon a multicriteria model, algebraic model or even a complex genetic algorithm. The heuristics used in computerized decision aids are rules of thumb, generally based on expert experience or common sense. When mathematical models are incorporated in decision aids they become more complex and more sophisticated. Computerized decision aids are also sometimes called recommender systems. According to Wietsma and Ricci "recommender systems provide decision aid and information filtering functions ... (and are) exploited in eCommerce web sites to suggest products and provide to consumers information for facilitating the decision process." What are examples of computerized decision aids? A quick review of web pages finds: a Diagnostic Decision Aid for Pediatric Sinusitis, a patient decision aid for choice of surgical treatment, a decision aid for nitrogen fertilizer management in cotton, Weed Management Decision Aids, a decision aid for nutrient management for forest trees in Hawaii, Oregon Water Quality Decision Aid (OWQDA), Maintenance Error Decision Aid (MEDA), interactive multimedia decision aid on hormone replacement therapy, decision aid for the management of diseases and pests of grapes, Tactical Decision Aid for selecting munitions and establishing an attack plan, True Seed Cost Decision Aid, and Dust Tactical Decision Aid (TDA). The Corn/Soybean Planting Decision Aid "is designed to help grain farmers decide whether to plant corn or soybeans. This program begins by asking the farmer to input their estimate of their county marketing assistance loan rate (LR) for soybeans. This information along with information on variable cash production costs, yields, estimates of local basis levels and storage costs is used to calculate a breakeven futures market price required for an all-fall or January delivery for corn in order for corn production to be equal to soybean production based on returns above variable cash costs." (cf., www.uky.edu/Ag/AgEcon/pubs/software/cornvsoybean.html). The MMR decision aid was designed to help people decide whether to immunize a child with the Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine (see URL http://www.ncirs.usyd.edu.au/decisionaid/index.html). Programmer Danny Goodman has a decision aiding application on the Web called The Decision Helper -- http://www.dannyg.com/javascript/dhnocookie/dhLoad.htm . Gomaa et al. note "Auditors may benefit from the use of decision aids at all stages of the engagement, to provide guidance to engagement teams and promote consistency of decision making across engagements and over time. Decision aids may appear in many forms, including advanced IT applications such as expert systems, neural networks, or decision support systems and less advanced tools such as algorithms, procedures, and standard forms." Where can one learn more about computerized decision aids? LAMSADE, the Laboratory for Analysing and Modelling Decision-Aid Systems, is an excellent starting point for learning more about research on multi-criteria, model-based decision aids. The site explains that "Decision Aiding is a multi-disciplinary research area merging contributions from fields as different as: cognitive psychology, operational research, social choice theory, discrete mathematics, formal logic, organisational studies, economics and management, and measurement theory." The Decision Aiding research area of LAMSADE is "founded by the seminal work of Bernard Roy and has an almost 30 years record of activities" (check www.lamsade.dauphine.fr/mcda/siteTheme/MCDA-ACPB.html). Prof. Mousseau maintains a Multiple Criteria Decision Aid Bibliography at the LAMSADE website. There is also a EURO Working Group on Multicriteria Decision Aiding (EWG-MCDA) (check www.inescc.pt/~ewgmcda). The International Society on Multiple Criteria Decision Making (ISMCDM) has also been influential in promoting the development of computerized decision aids (check www.terry.uga.edu/mcdm/). The 1st International Conference on MCDM was held in 1975 and was organized by Prof. Stanley Zionts. In conclusion, complex, sophisticated computerized decision aids are a subcategory of decision support systems. In general, DSS are decision aids. Some computerized decision aids may be so simple that we do not want to categorize them as decision support systems. Computerized decision aids are generally knowledge-driven or model-driven DSS. A common mathematical framework for building a computerized decision aid is a multi-criteria model. References David, C., http://www.christophedavid.org/w/c/w.php/DecisionAid/Introduction Gomaa, M., J. Hunton,and E. Vaassen, Auditors’ Reliance on a Decision Aid: the Effect of Audit Quality Pressure Variations Abstract, URL www.cs.unimaas.nl/auditing- symposium/Auditors_Reliance_on_a_Decision_Aid.pdf Leyva Lopez, Juan Carlos. Multicriteria decision aid application to a student selection problem. Pesqui. Oper. . Jan./Apr. 2005, vol.25, no.1 [cited 16 July 2006], p.45-68. Available from World Wide Web: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0101- 74382005000100004&lng=en&nrm=iso. ISSN 0101-7438. Power, D. J. "Designing and Developing A Computerized Decision Aid - A Case Study", World Wide Web, http://dssresources.com/papers/decisionaids.html, version 2.0, April 14, 1998. Wietsma, R. and F. Ricci, Product Reviews in Mobile Decision Aid Systems, eCommerce and Tourism Research Laboratory, ITC-irst, http://www.medien.ifi.lmu.de/permid2005/pdf/ReneWietsma_Permid2005.pdf. ************************************************************ Purchase Dan Power's DSS FAQ book 83 frequently asked questions about computerized DSS http://dssresources.com/dssbookstore/power2005.html ************************************************************ DSS Conferences 1. DEXA 2006, 17th International Conference on Database and Expert Systems Applications, September 4-8, 2006, Krakow, Poland. Check http://www.dexa.org . 2. ICDSS 2007, 9th International Conference on DSS, Jan. 2-4, 2007, Calcutta, India. Theme: Decision Support for Global Enterprises. Check http://www.ICDSS2007.org . ************************************************************ Visit DSSResources.com; Support our advertisers Advertise here! ************************************************************ DSS News Releases - July 3, 2006 to July 16, 2006 Read them at DSSResources.COM and search the DSS News Archive 07/14/2006 Stanford Hospital and Clinics select InterSystems Ensemble integration platform. 07/14/2006 Leading independent analyst firm showcases growing adoption of data warehouse appliances. 07/13/2006 Virus attacks named leading culprit of financial loss by U.S. Companies in 2006 CSI/FBI Computer Crime and Security Survey. 07/13/2006 Information security concerns persist for Chief Financial Officers. 07/12/2006 Oliver Wight releases enterprise Sales & Operations Planning Tool version 5.2. 07/12/2006 North Carolina State University and SAS to collaborate on data analytics Master's Degree program. 07/12/2006 Behavioral segmentation ranks as the most effective segmentation technique. 07/11/2006 Boeing to sponsor Society of Cost Estimating and Analysis. 07/11/2006 Fair Isaac's Model Builder 3.0 provides businesses with more capabilities for improving customer decisions. 07/11/2006 Agile 2006 Conference launches Leadership Summit to explore models for innovative agile enterprises. 07/11/2006 Microsoft announces continued CRM momentum and outlines roadmap for new Microsoft Dynamics CRM Live service. 07/11/2006 Business Objects announces new data visualization solution for BusinessObjects XI release 2. 07/10/2006 Delta Search Labs virtual reality CAVE develops a 3D virtual model of the future Charles River Skatepark. 07/10/2006 Oracle Academy Institute offers teachers professional development and technology training. 07/10/2006 Standardizing on construction project management software is now easier with Prolog Enterprise packs. 07/10/2006 SAP to introduce new E-Commerce and Web-Based CRM capabilities to business management solution for SMEs. 07/06/2006 SpreadsheetGear releases new Microsoft Excel compatible Windows forms spreadsheet control. 07/05/2006 I.D. Systems receives additional orders from U.S. Postal Service for Wireless Vehicle Management Systems. 07/05/2006 Cognos customers honored at Cognos Forum 2006. ************************************************************ Please tell your DSS friends about DSSResources.COM ************************************************************ DSS News is copyrighted (c) 2006 by D. J. Power. Please send your questions to daniel.power@dssresources.com |