SYS3001

Management support systems

P O'Donnell

6 points
* 4 hours per week
* First, second semester
* Caulfield, Clayton
* Prohibitions: CFR3052, CFR3305, CFR3062, CFR3306, SYS3050, SYS3054, SYS3060, SYS3064

Objectives At the completion of this subject students will know the scope and application of information systems applied to decision support, and will understand the process of development of decision support systems. They will learn how to use a number of techniques which are used to help build these systems and will develop an understanding of the issues involved in the use of systems of this type.

Synopsis The subject describes the evolution and current state of the art of the theory and practice of management support systems. It describes the role of these systems in supporting managerial work, and explains the development process and some of the key techniques which support it. Topics covered include the following. Overview of management support: definition of management support, history of management support, current practice. The role of management support systems: managers and the work they do, decision making, management information, paradigms of management support. EIS and data warehouses: nature of EIS, EIS characteristics, OLAP, EIS and the warehouse, warehouse design. Decision support systems: approaches to DSS design, DSS architecture, typical DSS applications, analyst-client relationship, evolutionary development. Modelling and DSS: typical DSS models, influence diagrams, model construction, financial models, forecasting, optimisation, decision trees. Knowledge-based DSS: the nature of `expertise', the role of expertise in management support, modelling knowledge, eliciting knowledge, knowledge representation, development environments, organisational DSS, intelligent query systems. Knowledge discovery: techniques for knowledge discovery, knowledge in data warehouses. Groupware: groupware functions, groupware technology. Other MSS approaches: group DSS; likely trends in management support.

Assessment Examination: 60%
* Assignments: 40%

Recommend texts:

Arnott D R, O'Donnell P A and Shanks G G (eds) Effective management support systems Monash U, 1997
Mallach E G Understanding decision support and expert systems Irwin, 1994
Sprague R H and Hugh J Watson (eds) Decision support for management Prentice-Hall, 1996
Turban E Decision support and expert systems: Management support systems 4th edn, Prentice-Hall, 1995