A DSS is typically built to support the solution of a certain problem or to evaluate an opportunity. Describe three key characteristics and capabilities of DSS

What will be an ideal response?

1. Support for decision makers, mainly in semistructured and unstructured situations, by bringing together human judgment and computerized information. Such problems cannot be solved (or cannot be solved conveniently) by other computerized systems or through use of standard quantitative methods or tools. Generally, these problems gain structure as the DSS is developed. Even some structured problems have been solved by DSS.
2. Support for all managerial levels, ranging from top executives to line managers.
3. Support for individuals as well as groups. Less-structured problems often require the involvement of individuals from different departments and organizational levels or even from different organizations. DSS support virtual teams through collaborative Web tools. DSS have been developed to support individual and group work, as well as to support individual decision making and groups of decision makers working somewhat independently.
4. Support for interdependent and/or sequential decisions. The decisions may be made once, several times, or repeatedly.
5. Support in all phases of the decision-making process: intelligence, design, choice, and implementation.
6. Support for a variety of decision-making processes and styles.
7. The decision maker should be reactive, able to confront changing conditions quickly, and able to adapt the DSS to meet these changes. DSS are flexible, so users can add, delete, combine, change, or rearrange basic elements. They are also flexible in that they can be readily modified to solve other, similar problems.