51346 DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEMS

Year	No.	Offer	Mode	Description			Cred. Pts
99	51346 	S2  	X 	DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEMS  	1.00

Contents

• Staffing
• Pre-requisite(s)
• Co-requisite(s)
• Rationale
• Synopsis
• Objectives
• Topics
• Texts
• Recommended References
• Student Workload
• Assessment Details
• Other Requirements

STAFFING:

PRE-REQUISITE(S)

51345

CO-REQUISITE(S)

51349

RATIONALE:

Increasingly,  decision makers complain that they are 'data  rich  but
information  poor'.  Decision making is  one  of  the  key  activities
supported  by an organization's information system. The  aim  of  this
unit is to provide students with the framework for the definition  and
development  of  decision support systems. The unit  comprises  course
work  and  assignment work where DSS software is applied to  realistic
business problems. Students will be expected to have continuous access
to an IBM/PC or compatible, running Windows as an operating system.

SYNOPSIS:

This  unit  introduces the concepts involved in combining  Information
Systems technology with managerial decision processes, working towards
supporting   decision  making  throughout  organizations.   The   unit
comprises  course work relating to the nature of decision making,  the
analysis and design of decision support systems and construction of  a
DSS using a suitable software package.

OBJECTIVES:

1. Describe decision support systems and their potential
   contribution to management; This encompasses DSS, GDSS, EIS
   and ES.
   
2. demonstrate skills in the definition, specification, and
   acquisition of computer-based support systems;
   
3. understand the way in which information systems and associated
   technologies can be applied within an organisation;
   
4. evaluate the application of a decision support system in a
   specific area and its implications for management.
   

TOPICS:

 Description                                                    Weighting(%)

Computer support for managers

Decision-making - use of models

Decision Support Systems - definition and structure

Levels of DSS, their development and application.

Definition and structure of Expert Systems - their role in DSS

DSS and the organisation

Future Directions

TEXT and MATERIALS to be PURCHASED:

D R Arnott & P A O'Donnell, 1994 Readings in Decision Support
Systems, 2nd Edition, Monash University.

External Study Package

Software: Students must purchase a copy of the student version of DSS
by Corporate Modelling Systems, Perth, from the University Bookshop.
See Introductory Book for details.

RECOMMENDED REFERENCE MATERIALS:

Galliers, R (Ed), Information Analysis. Selected Readings, 1987,
Addison-Wesley.

Case, Albert F Jr, Information Systems Development. Principles of
Computer-Aided Software Engineering, 1986, Prentice-Hall.

Thierauf, R J, User-oriented Decision Support Systems, Prentice-
Hall, paperback, 1988.

STUDENT WORKLOAD REQUIREMENTS:

	ACTIVITY				HOURS
Project Work                                  	10
Directed Study                                	35
Private Study                                 	75
Assessments                                   	40

ASSESSMENT DETAILS:

No  *F/S Marks     Due        Description                              Wtg(%)    LBL WWW
1   S              04/10/99  DSS REPORT                                25.00     Y   N
2   S              25/10/99  LITERATURE REVIEW/REPORT                  25.00     Y   N
3   S              END S2    3 HOUR END OF SEMESTER EXAMINATION        50.00     N   N

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

1    To  obtain a pass in a unit, students must perform satisfactorily
     in all aspects of assessment.
2    Students must perform at a commensurate grade level in all pieces
     of assessment to achieve a particular grade.
3    The due date of an assignment is the date by which a student must
     despatch  the assignment to the University, and is normally  that
     defined  in the relevant unit specification. The onus is  on  the
     student to provide, if requested, proof of date of despatch.
4    Students  should organise their affairs to ensure that they  meet
     due  dates  for all assignments. Extensions will be granted  only
     under exceptional extenuating circumstances, normally involving a
     significant medical condition.
5    Students  may  apply  for  an  assignment  extension  either   by
     application  through  DEC before the due  date  or  by  including
     application  with the submitted assignment after  the  due  date.
     Such  applications  should be in writing and  include  supporting
     documentary evidence. The authority for granting extensions rests
     with the relevant Unit Leader.
6    All  assignments  despatched after due dates without  appropriate
     extension  approvals or after approved extension  dates  will  be
     penalised  up to a maximum of 20% of the assigned mark  per  work
     day.
7    Students  must  retain a copy of all assignments  which  must  be
     provided if/when required by the Unit Leader.
8    Unit  weightings of topics should not be interpreted as  applying
     to  the  number  of  marks allocated to questions  testing  those
     topics in an examination paper.