DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEMS 90-745 Instructor: Ramayya Krishnan, HBH 2109A e-mail: rk2x@cmu.edu phone: 268-2174 Office Hours: To be announced Teaching Assistant: Sumit Dutta Chowdhary e-mail: sd3e@andrew.cmu.edu meets: Monday 5:30pm to 9:00pm in 1510 HBH COURSE DESCRIPTION This course focusses on the use of computer-based systems to assist human decision making. As such, we will be concerned with a) human decision making in the organizational context, b) the methods that can be used to support it, and c) the issues associated with the use of systems that employ information technology to deliver the relevant support. While the focus to a large extent will be on individual decision support systems, we will also study group decision support systems. Finally, while the students will be exposed to wide array of decision support technology, the course will emphasize its appropriate use in the organizational context. Prerequisites The course presumes a reasonable awareness of decision analysis and management science modeling techniques which are a pre-requisite for analytical decision making. The course will also assume knowledge of technology such as spreadsheets. Students who do not have these prerequisites should consult with the instructor. Course Materials The course will use a mix of lectures, demos, lab sessions, and class discussion using cases to illustrate ideas. Required Text Decision Support Models and Expert systems, David Olson and James Courtney, 1992, MacMillan Publishing Company There is no single book that provides a reasonably complete and thorough introduction to the subject of decision support systems. I expect students to use the library, and locate and read books and articles that specifically address their interest. I will also supply supplemental readings in class, and provide pointers to the literature. This literature search will particularly help students with ideas for projects which are an important component of the course. I particularly encourage students to examine issues of a journal called Interfaces which publishes articles on DSS which have been developed and implemented in both the private and public sectors. BBOARD: An electronic bboard (org.heinz.dss) has been set up on the andrew mail system. You can communicate with your classmates, the TA and myself using this bboard. As any general announcements to the class will be made using the bboard, please make sure you read this bboard regularly. SCHEDULE: August 29 Overview of the course Introduction to Decision Support Systems Basic Concepts, Chapter 1 and Chapter 4 September 5 Labor Day (Holiday) September 12 Discussion: Models and Managers: The Concept of a Decision Calculus by John D. C. Little Overview of Decision Support Applications read chapter 8 Review of an Interfaces article is due September 19 Introduction to human decision making Heuristics, bounded rationality, common errors read chapter 3 and readings Introduction to Problem Structuring Project Proposals are due September 26 Problem Structuring, continued Influence Diagrams, Objective Hierarchies read Chapter 7 and readings Lecture + Demo: Strategic Planning Systems at CMU Speaker: Igor Rishetar October 3 Decision Analysis, Decision Tree Models The DSS as a linked electronic document The case of a spreadsheet based DSS read Chapter 7 Problem Structuring homework is due October 10 Multi-Criteria Decision Making, The Analytic Hierarchy Process Case Discussion Lab session using the Criterium DSS generator read Chapter 2 October 17 Case Discussion/Lab session on AHP continued Homework on Spreadsheet-based DSS is due Take home case is handed out October 24 No class Out of town attending conference Homework on AHP using Criterium is due Project Status Report is due (Turn it in to Sumit Dutta Chowdhary) Make up class will cover the following topics Date of make up class to be decided on the first day of class Model-based DSS Integrating mathematical and data modeling Discussion with readings read Chapter 6 October 31 Decision Support Systems in the US Army: The ATLAAS DSS project Invited Speaker: Major William Branley, US Army November 7 Introduction to the Andrew System A lab session to introduce students to UNIX workstations Working with Document Processing Systems (EZ) Take home case is due November 14 Introduction to Hypertext, Document-based DSS Concept of an active document, Multi-media reports Lab session using EZ with hypertext and spreadsheet insets Introduction to the WWW and HTML, Intgerating DSS's on the Web Implementation of a simple model-based DSS using Excel/Quattro is due November 21 Improving Communication: Information Technology-based Solutions Introduction to E-mail, V-mail, Group DSS, etc. Discussion with readings Lab session with Vision Quest, a group support system is scheduled on November 19 (10am-1pm) at Posner Hall, Room 147 read chapter 9 and additional material Implementation of a simple active document-based DSS is due November 28 Group DSS, Basic Issues Brainstorming, anonymity, voting Lab Session using Vision Quest read Chapter 9 December 5 Executive Information Systems read Chapter 10 The final project report will be due on the scheduled exam day for the course. Important dates: September 19 Project proposals due October 17 Mid Term Case is handed out October 24 Project status report due November 7 Mid Term Case due December 12 Final Project report due Invited Speakers: September 26 Strategic Planning at CMU, Mr. Igor Rishetar October 31 Decision Support Systems, Major Wm. Branley in the US Army GRADING The course will emphasize discussion to illustrate and elaborate on ideas. Significant class room participation is expected of all students and will contribute towards your grade. A group project is an important component of the course. The project will involve a decision making problem of the group's choice, and the group will be expected to analyze the decision problem, its organizational context (if relevant), develop a problem solving approach, and implement it using software of their choice. The project presentation will be scheduled during the final exam week. The optimal group size is two students with each member of the group receiving the same grade on the project. To help manage the project, milestone reports have to be submitted to the instructor. The schedule is in the course outline. There is a "take home" exam in the course. The exam will consist of a problem statement in "case" format. The students are required to develop and implement a solution to the problem. This exam is scheduled during the semester as shown in the course outline. There are four homework projects which will allow to you learn the technology that can be used to provide decision support. These contribute towards your grade as well. The summary of the grading strategy in the course is an shown below. Project 40% Take-home Case 25% Homework 25% Class Participation 10% ??