1
Introduction to Essentials
for Information Systems
Eleventh Edition
James A. O’Brien
Chapter
9
Decision
Support
Systems
Irwin/McGraw-Hill
Copyright © 2002, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
James A. O’Brien
Introduction to Essentials for Information Systems
Eleventh Edition
2
Chapter Objectives
• Identify the changes taking place in the form
and use of decision support in e-business
enterprises.
• Identify the role and reporting alternatives of
management information systems.
• Describe how online analytical processing
can meet key information needs of
managers.
• Explain the decision support system concept
and how it differs from traditional
management information systems.
Copyright © 2002, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
James A. O’Brien
Introduction to Essentials for Information Systems
Eleventh Edition
3
Chapter Objectives
• Explain how the following information systems can
support the information needs of executives,
managers, and business professionals:
– A) Executive Information Systems
– B) Enterprise Information Portals
– C) Enterprise Knowledge Portals
• Identify how neural networks, fuzzy logic, genetic
algorithms, virtual reality, and intelligent agents can
be used in business.
• Give examples of several ways expert systems can
be used in business decision-making situations.
Copyright © 2002, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
James A. O’Brien
Introduction to Essentials for Information Systems
Eleventh Edition
4
e-Business Decision Support Applications
Supply Chain
Management
Customer
Relationship
Management
Enterprise Performance
Monitoring
EmployeeManager/
Customer/Partner
Situation: What-if
Scenario Analysis
Knowledge/Innovation
Management
Copyright © 2002, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
James A. O’Brien
Introduction to Essentials for Information Systems
Eleventh Edition
5
Decisions in the e-Business
Decision Characteristics
Unstructured
(No fixed set of rules for
producing same
outcomes, Judgment
plays a big role.
Strategic
Management
Semi-structured
Tactical
Management
Structured
(fixed rules
& repeatable
outcomes)
Operational
Management
Copyright © 2002, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
James A. O’Brien
Introduction to Essentials for Information Systems
Eleventh Edition
6
Management Information System Reports
Periodic Scheduled
Reports
Exception Reports
Major
Management
Information
Systems Reports
Demand Reports
and Responses
Push Reports
Copyright © 2002, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
James A. O’Brien
Introduction to Essentials for Information Systems
Eleventh Edition
7
Online Analytical Processing
Data is retrieved from corporate databases
and staged in an OLAP multi-dimensional
database
Corporate
Databases
Client PC
OLAP
Server
Web-enabled OLAP
Software
Multi•Operational DB
dimensional •Data Marts
database •Data Warehouse
Copyright © 2002, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
James A. O’Brien
Introduction to Essentials for Information Systems
Eleventh Edition
8
Decision Support Systems
What If-Analysis
Sensitivity Analysis
Important
Decision
Support
Systems
Analytical Models
Goal-Seeking Analysis
Optimization Analysis
Copyright © 2002, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
James A. O’Brien
Eleventh Edition
Introduction to Essentials for Information Systems
9
Enterprise Information Portals and DSS
Internet
Extranet
Intranet
Enterprise Information Portal Gateway
Enterprise Information Portal User Interface
Search
Agents
OLAP
Data
Mining
DSS
What-If Models
Sensitivity Models
Goal-Seeking Models
Optimization Models
Knowledge
Management
Database Management Functions
Data
Mart
Operational
Database
Other
Business
Applications
Analytical
Database
Knowledge
Base
Copyright © 2002, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
James A. O’Brien
Introduction to Essentials for Information Systems
Eleventh Edition
10
Attributes of Intelligent Behavior
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Think and reason
Use reason to solve problems
Learn or understand from experience
Acquire and apply knowledge
Exhibit creativity and imagination
Deal with complex or perplexing situations
Respond quickly and successfully to new
situations.
• Recognize the relative importance of
elements in a situation
• Handle ambiguous, incomplete,or erroneous
information
Copyright © 2002, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
James A. O’Brien
Introduction to Essentials for Information Systems
Eleventh Edition
11
Artificial Intelligence Applications
Artificial
Intelligence
Cognitive
Science
Applications
•Expert Systems
•Fuzzy Logic
•Genetic Algorithms
•Neural Networks
Robotics
Applications
•Visual Perceptions
•Locomotion
•Navigation
•Tactility
Natural
Interface
Applications
•Natural Language
•Speech Recognition
•Multisensory Interface
•Virtual Reality
Copyright © 2002, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
James A. O’Brien
Introduction to Essentials for Information Systems
Eleventh Edition
12
AI Application Areas in Business
Neural Networks
Fuzzy Logic Systems
Genetic Algorithms
Virtual Reality
AI Application
Areas in
Business
Intelligent Agents
Expert Systems
Copyright © 2002, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
James A. O’Brien
Introduction to Essentials for Information Systems
Eleventh Edition
13
Intelligent Agents
Interface
Tutors
Presentation
Agents
Search
Agents
User
Interface
Agents
Information
Management
Agents
Information
Brokers
Network
Navigation
Agents
RolePlaying
Agents
Information
Filters
Copyright © 2002, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
James A. O’Brien
Introduction to Essentials for Information Systems
Eleventh Edition
14
Components of Expert Systems
The Expert System
1
Expert
Advice
User
User
Interface
Programs
3
2
Inference
Engine
Program
Knowledge
Base
Workstation
Expert System Development
Building Expert
Systems:
1. Use ES shells
2. Use AI
programming
languages, e.g.
Lisp, Prolog
Knowledge
Engineering
4
Knowledge
Acquisition
Program
Workstation
Expert and/or
Knowledge Engineer
Copyright © 2002, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
James A. O’Brien
Introduction to Essentials for Information Systems
Eleventh Edition
15
A Rule-Based Expert System
Source:
Laudon &
Laudon, MIS
6th Ed.
Copyright © 2002, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
James A. O’Brien
Introduction to Essentials for Information Systems
Eleventh Edition
16
Expert System Applications
Decision Management
Diagnostic/Troubleshooting
Maintenance/Scheduling
Design/Configuration
Major
Application
Categories
of Expert Systems
Selection/Classification
Process Monitoring/Control
Copyright © 2002, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
James A. O’Brien
Introduction to Essentials for Information Systems
Eleventh Edition
17
An Example of Fuzzy Logic
Source: Laudon & Laudon, MIS 6th Ed.
Copyright © 2002, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
James A. O’Brien
Introduction to Essentials for Information Systems
Eleventh Edition
18
An Example of Neural Networks
Source: Laudon & Laudon, MIS 6th Ed.
Copyright © 2002, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
James A. O’Brien
Introduction to Essentials for Information Systems
Eleventh Edition
19
Chapter Summary
• Decision support systems in business are
changing. The growth of corporate intranets,
extranets, and other web technologies have
increased the demand for a variety of
personalized, proactive, web-enabled analytical
techniques to support DSS.
• Information systems must support a variety of
management decision-making levels and
decisions. These include the three levels of
management activity: strategic, tactical, and
operational.
Copyright © 2002, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
James A. O’Brien
Introduction to Essentials for Information Systems
Eleventh Edition
20
Chapter Summary (cont)
• Online analytical processing is used to analyze
complex relationships among large amounts of
data stored in multidimensional databases.
Data mining analyzes large stores of historical
data contained in data warehouses.
• Decision support systems are interactive
computer-based information systems that use
DSS software and a model base to provide
information to support semi-structured and
unstructured decision making.
Copyright © 2002, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
James A. O’Brien
Introduction to Essentials for Information Systems
Eleventh Edition
21
Chapter Summary (cont)
• The major application domains in
artificial intelligence include a variety of
applications in cognitive sciences,
robotics, and natural interfaces.
• Major AI application areas include:
– Neural Networks
– Fuzzy Logic
– Genetic Algorithms
– Virtual Reality
– Intelligent Agents
Copyright © 2002, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.