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Decision support tools

Decision support tools. Lecture 5: Group & Executive Support Systems. N.B. This is a self-study day. Go through these slides and make your own notes or mind-map of the key attributes of a GDSS and an ESS. Read pages 471-476 of the DST module handout .

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Decision support tools

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  1. Decision support tools Lecture 5: Group & Executive Support Systems

  2. N.B. This is a self-study day • Go through these slides and make your own notes or mind-map of the key attributes of a GDSS and an ESS. • Read pages 471-476 of the DST module handout. • Note that the sections on BPM and BAM are not examinable except that you MUST know what a “dashboard” is. • Do the GDSS and ESS quiz on RUconnected. • You are allowed TWO attempts at this quiz. If there are questions that you can’t answer, try to find out the information for yourself and then do the quiz again. • The quiz will contribute a small amount towards your class mark (but less than 1%). • The quiz will close at 11pm on Monday 24 March.

  3. Module structure • Management Decision-Making • OLAP & Data Mining • Group Support Systems • Executive Support Systems • Model-based Decision Support Systems • Intelligent Systems • Expert Systems • Managing Decision Support Tools

  4. Recap: BI and decision support • Intelligence stage (of decision-making) • Becoming aware of the problem (or opportunity) • Defining the problem details and scope • Design stage • Identifying alternative solutions • Evaluating feasibility of each solution • Choice stage • Deciding on the ‘best’ solution

  5. How to improve decision quality? • Decisions are only as good as the information they are based on • Decision-makers need • Multiple sources of data • A range of perspectives • Awareness of bias • Careful evaluation of alternatives • Buy-in to the decision that is made • Identification of potential complications

  6. Helping managers to improve decisions • Involve other people • Different points of view • More alternatives • Reduces individual bias • Use reliable information • Readily available • Appropriate to the problem • Could be internal or external • Must be easy to understand Group Decision Support Systems Executive Support Systems

  7. Group Decision Support Systems (GDSS) Decisions reached by groups are often better than decisions made by individuals - BUT …

  8. Problems with group decision-making • Social pressure to conform • Only one person can talk at a time • Domination by individuals • Members afraid to speak up • “Free riders” • Time spent on side issues/socialising • Time spent rehashing old content • Accuracy of minutes • Time-consuming and costly

  9. What’s needed is a GDSS! Group Decision Support System • Encourages members of a group to share ideas and participate in decision-making, while avoiding many of the problems that occur in a group environment • Often used for strategic decision-making within large organisations and even at a national level • Needs a carefully planned agenda and an experienced facilitator

  10. How a GDSS works • Intelligence stage • Group discussion helps to clarify the problem • Prioritising and voting used to agree on key issues • Design stage • Brainstorming to come up with alternative solutions • Clarify areas of potential misunderstanding • Define and rank alternatives based on criteria • Choice stage • Debate ‘people issues’ (risk, ethics, etc) • Relevant business data may be explored • Voting and discussion of choices (usually several times)

  11. Simultaneous input Anonymous Real-time display Ranking of issues Clarify queries Voting No bullying Pre-set agenda Automatic record Less time wasted

  12. And there’s more! A GDSS can be implemented in different ways: • Same time, same place • In a meeting venue, usually facilitated • Same time, different place • From your desk (requires internet connection) • Saves travel costs • Different time, different place • Online meeting that caters for different time zones • At each stage of the “meeting”, participants have 24 hours to make their contribution, raise queries, vote etc.

  13. Benefits of using a GDSS • Improved control and time management • Better problem understanding and error identification • Wider range of alternatives generated • Improved quality and effectiveness of outcomes • Accountability for decisions • Participants can be in different locations and time zones • Accurate record of proceedings is generated

  14. Executive Support Systems (ESS) Supports strategic (and usually unstructured) decisions that depend on both internal and external data and are likely to have a long term impact on the organisation

  15. Support provided by an ESS • Typical decisions could involve: • Defining organisational goals • Analysing strengths & weakness (SWOT) • Monitoring overall performance • Predicting future trends • Analysing changes to organisational structure • Anticipating mergers, expansions, downsizing • Crisis management

  16. An ESS must be flexible and easy to use • Very user friendly interface • Graphics rather than text • Rapid access to key information • Executive can select type of info (internal/external) • Flexible reporting • High-level summaries with drill-down capabilities • Exception alerts (unusual values or events) • Ability to handle uncertainty • Calculate estimates, probabilities and risk

  17. IS201 EUDT Part 2 Lecture 3

  18. Now read the module handout • Pages 471-476 • The sections on BPM and BAM are not examinable • But still useful to know about • You need to know what a dashboard is (pgs 475-6) • After going through these slides and reading the handout, you need to complete the GDSS and ESS quiz on RUconnected • The quiz counts towards your class mark – but you can have two tries at it • The quiz closes at 11pm on Monday 24 March

  19. I’ll see you in class tomorrow

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