Chapter 6 Decision Support System Development

1. Turban, Aronson, and Liang Decision Support Systems and Intelligent Systems, Seventh Edition Chapter 6Decision Support System Development © 2005 Prentice Hall, Decision Support Systems and Intelligent Systems, 7th Edition, Turban, Aronson, and Liang

2. Learning Objectives • Understand the concepts of systems development. • Learn PADI, the phases of SDLC. • Describe prototyping. • Understand which factors lead to DSS success or failure. • Learn the importance of project management. • Describe the three technology levels of DSS. • Understand the learning process involved in DSS development. © 2005 Prentice Hall, Decision Support Systems and Intelligent Systems, 7th Edition, Turban, Aronson, and Liang

3. Osram Sylvania Thinks Small, Strategizes Big-Develops the Infonet HR Portal System Vignette • Creation of a specialized business portal to solve specific problem • Prototype • Interactive, Web-based • HR portal • Think small, strategize big • Focus on key problems first • Plan to achieve quick small successes • Intranet-based portal for hiring, job postings, benefits, bonuses, retirement information © 2005 Prentice Hall, Decision Support Systems and Intelligent Systems, 7th Edition, Turban, Aronson, and Liang

4. Systems Development Life Cycle • Four phases • Planning • Analysis • Design • Implementation • Cyclical • Can return to other phases • Waterfall model © 2005 Prentice Hall, Decision Support Systems and Intelligent Systems, 7th Edition, Turban, Aronson, and Liang

5. Tools • Computer-aided software design tools • Upper CASE – • Creates systems diagrams • Lower CASE • Manages diagrams and code • Integrated CASE • Combination • RAD design tools • Enterprise class repository and collaboration • UML modeling • Analysis and design software • Code debugging methods • Testing and quality assurance tools © 2005 Prentice Hall, Decision Support Systems and Intelligent Systems, 7th Edition, Turban, Aronson, and Liang

6. Successful Project Management • Establish a baseline • Define scope of project • Manage change and scope creep • Get support from upper management • Establish timelines, milestones, and budgets based on realistic goals • Involve users • Document everything © 2005 Prentice Hall, Decision Support Systems and Intelligent Systems, 7th Edition, Turban, Aronson, and Liang

7. Implementation Failures • Lack of stakeholder involvement • Incomplete requirements • Scope creep • Unrealistic expectations • Project champion leaves • Lack of skill or expertise • Inadequate human resources • New technologies © 2005 Prentice Hall, Decision Support Systems and Intelligent Systems, 7th Edition, Turban, Aronson, and Liang

8. Evolutionary Disruptors • Development environment • Organizational cultural factors • Loss of top management support • User and analyst attitude • User experience • Development team capability • Development process • User education, support, involvement, training © 2005 Prentice Hall, Decision Support Systems and Intelligent Systems, 7th Edition, Turban, Aronson, and Liang

9. Project Management Tools • Project management software can allow: • Collaboration among disparate teams • Resource and program management • Portfolio management • Web enabled • Aggregates and analyses project data © 2005 Prentice Hall, Decision Support Systems and Intelligent Systems, 7th Edition, Turban, Aronson, and Liang

10. Alternative Development Methodologies • Parallel development • Multiple development on separate systems • RAD • Quick development allowing fast, but limited functionality • Phased development • Sequential serial development • Prototyping • Rapid development of portions of projects for user input and modification • Small working model or may become functional part of final system • Throwaway prototyping • Pilot test or simple development platforms © 2005 Prentice Hall, Decision Support Systems and Intelligent Systems, 7th Edition, Turban, Aronson, and Liang

11. © 2005 Prentice Hall, Decision Support Systems and Intelligent Systems, 7th Edition, Turban, Aronson, and Liang

12. Agile Development • Rapid prototyping • Used for: • Unclear or rapidly changing requirements • Speedy development • Heavy user input • Incremental delivery with short time frames • Tend to have integration problems © 2005 Prentice Hall, Decision Support Systems and Intelligent Systems, 7th Edition, Turban, Aronson, and Liang

13. DSS Development Methodology • Prototyping • Iterative design • Evolutionary development • Middle out process • Adaptive design • Incremental design © 2005 Prentice Hall, Decision Support Systems and Intelligent Systems, 7th Edition, Turban, Aronson, and Liang

14. DSS Prototyping • Short steps • Planning • Analysis • Design • Prototype • Immediate stakeholder feedback • Iterative • In development of prototype • Within the system in general • Evaluation integral part • Control mechanism © 2005 Prentice Hall, Decision Support Systems and Intelligent Systems, 7th Edition, Turban, Aronson, and Liang

15. Advantages User and management involvement Learning explicitly integrated Prototyping bypasses information requirement Short intervals between iterations Low cost Improved user understanding of system Disadvantages Changing requirements May not have thorough understanding of benefits and costs Poorly tested Dependencies, security, and safety may be ignored High uncertainty Problem may get lost Reduction in quality Higher costs due to multiple productions DSS Prototyping © 2005 Prentice Hall, Decision Support Systems and Intelligent Systems, 7th Edition, Turban, Aronson, and Liang

16. Change Management • Crucial to DSS • People resistant to change • Examine cause of change • May require organizational culture shift • Lewin-Schein change theory steps • Unfreeze • Create awareness of need for change • People support what they help create • Move • Develop new methods and behaviors • Create and maintain momentum • Refreeze • Reinforce desired changes • Establish stable environment © 2005 Prentice Hall, Decision Support Systems and Intelligent Systems, 7th Edition, Turban, Aronson, and Liang

17. DSS Technology Levels • DSS primary tools • Fundamental elements • Programming languages, graphics, editors, query systems • DSS generator (engine) • Integrated software package for building specific DSS • Modeling, report generation, graphics, risk analysis • Specific DSS • DSS application that accomplishes the work • DSS primary tools are used to construct integrated tools that are used to construct specific tools © 2005 Prentice Hall, Decision Support Systems and Intelligent Systems, 7th Edition, Turban, Aronson, and Liang

18. © 2005 Prentice Hall, Decision Support Systems and Intelligent Systems, 7th Edition, Turban, Aronson, and Liang

19. DSS • Hardware • PCs to multiprocessor mainframes • Software • Involves multiple criteria • Develop in house, outsource, or buy off the shelf • Off the shelf software rapidly updated; many on market • Prices fluctuate • Different tools available © 2005 Prentice Hall, Decision Support Systems and Intelligent Systems, 7th Edition, Turban, Aronson, and Liang

20. DSS • Team developed DSS requires substantial effort to build and manage • End user developed DSS • Decision-makers and knowledge workers develop to solve problems or enhance productivity • Advantages • Short delivery time • User requirements specifications are eliminated • Reduced implementation problems • Low costs • Risks • Quality may be low • May have lack of documentation • Security risks may increase © 2005 Prentice Hall, Decision Support Systems and Intelligent Systems, 7th Edition, Turban, Aronson, and Liang

21. DSS • DSS is much more than just a DBMS, MBMS, GUI, interface, and knowledge component © 2005 Prentice Hall, Decision Support Systems and Intelligent Systems, 7th Edition, Turban, Aronson, and Liang