Towards a Design Methodology for Decision Support Systems

The authors propose the use of process models for DSS design. The kind of process models suggested are task structures and decision structures with simple graphical syntax and semantics. The process models form the basis for a coherent DSS design methodology, based upon the bounded rationality paradigm. The history of DSS and DSS design is discussed to form a theoretical position. The resulting methodology has been tested and evaluated in a laboratory experiment. The results of this evaluation will be used for continuous improvement of the methodolog

Customer information systems: Approaching a new field in information systems from a new perspective

Recent years have witnessed an increasing awareness and need for information systems that can fulfil a role on the boundary between organisations and their environments. However, these so-called Customer Information Systems (CIS) have been developed using a traditional design approach with an emphasis on information systems that ignores the role of social systems in business decision-making. Consequently, a number of well-known problems concerning the use of information technology have also risen in the CIS area. Therefore, we propose a new design approach to CIS that addresses responsibilities and norms in business decision-making and focuses on the interplay between information systems design and organisational design. We propose extensions of current design issues that - if successful - could be of interest for researchers as well as practitioners