What the **** is DSS

Even after two weeks of interaction with Infosys team, Decision Support System still remains an enigma to me. It appears to me that whatever I imagine of DSS is not the same as what my top management thinks. In this post I am trying to put together some info on DSS from various sources, starting from our very own HKM.

 Well here goes the first things that we should know about DSS

1. It do not make any decisions, it supports decision making  
2. It interacts with the user
1. compiles information for the decision makers
3. It has all the properties of an Executive Support System which include
1. designed for strategic level
2. based on TPS exernal data 
3. can do trend analysis and projections
4. Aimed at unstructured problems

Components of a DSS

1. DSS software provided by the vendor
2. User specific decision model
3. Database or depository

Types of DSS

1. Model driven
2. Data driven

Limitations of DSS

1. Owner might not comprehend the relevance of DSS
2. Will give alternatives based on predesigned models