Learning-enhanced adaptive DSS: a Design Science perspective

The process of acquiring, maintaining, updating, and using appropriate domain-specific knowledge has played an integral role in knowledge-based decision support systems. Although each of these stages is necessary and important, knowledge-based systems that operate in dynamic environments can become quickly stale when core knowledge embedded in these systems are not continually updated to reflect changes in the system over time. Clearly, stale knowledge could be faulty and cannot be relied upon for making decisions and a knowledge-based decision support system with stale knowledge may even be detrimental in the long run. We consider a generic adaptive DSS framework with learning capabilities that continually monitors itself for possible deficit in the knowledge-base, expired or stale knowledge already present in the knowledge-base, and availability of new knowledge from the environment. The knowledge-base is updated through incremental learning. We illustrate the generic knowledge-based adaptive DSS framework using examples from three different application areas. The framework is flexible in being able to be modified or extended to accommodate the idiosyncrasies of the application of interest. The framework considered is an example artifact that naturally satisfies the Design Science perspective.     

DSS development and applications in China

This paper provides an overview of the application and development of decision support systems in China. The curriculum and research in decision support systems in major Chinese universities is introduced first, then selected recent applications of decision support systems in China is described. Finally, the main research topics and direction on decision support systems in China are discussed.     

Physical database design: A DSS approach

This paper presents a working decision support system for use in the physical design of a database. Physical database design, a structured decision problem, lends itself to a decision support approach because closed form algorithms are computationally infeasible. The paper describes the physical database design problem, presents an overview of a software system for use in solving this problem, and evaluates the use of the system in solving a sample problem.     

An optimization approach to adaptive Kalman filtering

In this paper, an optimization-based adaptive Kalman filtering method is proposed. The method produces an estimate of the process noise covariance matrix Q by solving an optimization problem over a short window of data. The algorithm recovers the observations h(x) from a system without a priori knowledge of system dynamics. Potential applications include target tracking using a network of nonlinear sensors, servoing, mapping, and localization. The algorithm is demonstrated in simulations on a tracking example for a target with coupled and nonlinear kinematics. Simulations indicate superiority over a standard MMAE algorithm for a large class of systems.     

An approach for an integrated DSS for strategic planning

Although Decision Support Systems (DSS) have become widespread in recent years for operational control their use in strategic decision-making has only rarely been seen. This study investigates how DSS technology can be applied in the process of strategic planning. The requirements of Strategic Decision Support Systems (SDSS) are discussed and a conceptual frame for the construction of SDSS is developed. The authors emphasize the integration of both the planning instruments and the corresponding data flows. They present the StratConsult system - a PC-based prototype for supporting strategic sessions. Benefits and drawbacks of SDSS are explored and relevant trends for integrated computer-aided strategic DSS are outlined.     

An empirical assessment and categorization of journals relevant to DSS research

This paper reports on an objective empirical study of the decision support system literature for the purpose of assessing journals relevant to DSS research efforts. Here, we provide DSS researchers and those who evaluate them an up-to-date picture of the forums available for scholarly discourse and research. We conducted a citation analysis of the Decision Support Systems journal for the years 1985–1993 to obtain a citation base containing over 7,500 citations. The citation base is then used to (1) examine citation trends for books, proceedings, and journals; (2) determine a relative ranking of journals based on total citations, and (3) organize journals into categories. Guidelines are provided for utilizing the categorization.     

Impact of design methods on decision support systems success: An empirical assessment

Many of the Decision Support Systems (DSS) developed and implemented in the last decade or so, have not been used or are only used for mundane report generation rather than for direct support of strategic planning. These failures can be attributed to the fact that existing DSS design methods (representation-based, evolutive, and adaptive) have never been evaluated with respect to their success. Thus, the designer had no way of knowing what design method to employ in developing an effective DSS.This paper investigated the relationship between the selection of a DSS design method and its ultimate success. DSS success was measured through DSS usage, user satisfaction, and user attitudes and perceptions criteria. The data utilized was collected from individuals responsible for designing and evaluating DSS, specifically the managers, intermediaries, and designers. In terms of the DSS usage and user satisfaction criteria, all three groups rated the evolutive design method superior, followed by the representation-based and adaptive methods. Using the DSS attitudes and perceptions criteria, the designer group rated the evolutive method best, followed by the representation-based, and adaptive methods. The ratings by the managers and intermediaries were rather mixed. Each design method did better in some success criteria than in others.     

DSS research and practice in perspective

The aim of this paper is to assess the state-of-the-art in the Decision Support Systems (DSS) field from both a research and a practice perspective. Three main dimensions of DSS research and practice are addressed: 1) supporting human decision-making processes, 2) integrating DSS into the organizational context, and 3) identifying new application domains. The related analysis and discussion provides a better understanding of past developments in the DSS field and insights into future evolution patterns.     

Systems analysis in a complex environment: An interactive educational approach

Many approaches have been proposed for systems analysis but few researchers propose a continuous educational exchange between users and systems analysts. This type of exchange is critical to successful system implementation when the environment is complex and subject to change. Both users and systems analysts must be informed of the others' roles and the purposes and objectives of the system. This paper presents a conceptual model of providing education to both users and analysts in each phase of system development and an application and discussion of the model.     

Managerial considerations in participative design of MIS/DSS

There is widespread support for the concept of participation in systems design and development, but inconsistent evidence as to its contribution to systems success. These results are entirely consistent with those of the behavioral sciences where participation has been studied under many different conditions. Managers of design processes need to adopt a more complex view of participation and evaluate its probable contributions and limitations in particular applications. Drawing upon research results from within and outside the field of information sciences, decision guidelines for managing the extent and character of participation have been proposed. These guidelines stress that consideration be given to various contextual aspects of the problem, technology, user(s), job tasks, and organizational design.     

Sensible appliances: applying context-awareness to appliance design

A sensible appliance is an appliance which understands a users situation and takes appropriate actions to provide a high-quality user experience. A sensible appliance should be able to collect and infer relevant contexts to understand the users situation. It is important for designers to understand context-awareness and its impact on design. In this paper, we introduce what context and context-awareness are by using data from our survey on existing work in the area. Then, we present our categorization of existing appliances based on their contextualness. Finally, as a design case study of context-aware appliances, we describe our work on the Gate Reminder—a ubiquitous and context-aware reminder appliance built into a front door to remind users of things they should take with them when leaving home, and messages they should be aware of before going out.     

Embryonic approach to the development of information systems

Prototyping in information systems (IS) development has recently shown increased benefits. In principle, the prototyping process provides users with more opportunities to improve their work, to verify that their needs are provided for, and that the terms used in the interface of the designed system are consistent with those in use in their work. As a result, they should be highly motivated to participate in an IS development process.However, certain drawbacks inherited from traditional prototyping in industrial production could limit the use of this approach in IS development. Some problems are identified in this paper, such as: (1) product-oriented thinking; (2) feedback delay; (3) the preoccupation of designers with respect to the experimental approach; (4) problems arising from the users' participation being indirect, and (5) negative attitudes towards contradiction. This paper proposes an organic approach, the ‘Embryonic Approach’ (EmA), in order to explore the full potentialities of prototyping in IS development. This approach is based on two fundamental elements; an adaptive and expandable kernel-structure, and a built-in communication mechanism.     

DSS中的数据库管理子系统分析与应用

文章比较了DSS与MIS在数据管理上的差异,列出了DSS中常用的几种数据管理方法,重点分析了DSS数据库管理子系统的组成和结构,并结合开发实例,说明了建立DSS数据库管理子系统时应考虑的主要问题。     

汽车自适应前照灯控制系统设计与验证

汽车自适应前照灯系统对于提高汽车在夜间和恶劣环境中的行车安全具有重要意义。该文通过分析研究汽车前照灯照明的作用与意义,建立了汽车自适应前照灯系统控制模型。在此基础上,设计了一种汽车自适应前照灯控制系统及其验证平台,从控制模型与控制精度两个方面予以评估论证,实验数据显示控制效果良好。     

决策支持系统中粗糙集理论的应用研究

粗糙集理论是近代新兴的数据处理方法,概率统计方法是传统数据处理方法,两者各有其优缺点。文章在对粗糙集理论进行深入研究的基础上,提出将两种方法结合,并在决策支持系统中应用,在系统的实现过程中提出了新的处理方法。     

An approach to precisely specifying the problem domain of design patterns

The problem domain of a design pattern describes the problem context in which the pattern can be applied. In general, determining the applicability of a pattern to a particular problem heavily relies on the knowledge and experience the developer has with the pattern. This significantly limits the use of patterns. To address this issue, we propose an approach for rigorously specifying the problem domain of patterns. This approach systematically guides one to develop rigorous specifications of a pattern's problem domain using a precise notation. The resulting specifications can be used to develop tool support for automatic evaluation of pattern applicability. We describe the approach using the Visitor pattern, and show how the resulting specification can be used to evaluate pattern applicability for a particular problem model. We also demonstrate tool support for the approach.     

A passification approach to adaptive nonlinear stabilization

In this paper, we unify and extend previously obtained results on adaptive stabilization of nonlinear systems from a passive systems viewpoint. It is shown that, for an interconnected multi-input nonlinear system composed of a chain of feedback strictly passive subsystems, an adaptive controller can be designed to render the closed loop system passive. Further, adaptive regulation is guaranteed if the zero-dynamics equation of each subsystem satisfies an appropriate input/state property. A systematic use of feedback passification in our proposed adaptive control scheme allows a simpler reinterpretation of the backstepping design with tuning functions in Krsti? et al. (1992).     

An adaptive design process generated by the integration of systematic design process and design patent protection mechanism

The conventional design processes are merely directed at measures for resolving problems, but fail to feature measures for procuring design patent protection. To overcome such a shortage, the authors have made a breakthrough by integrating the systematic design process (SDP) and design patent protection mechanism (DPPM) to develop an adaptive design process (ADP). The ADP includes 14 steps, as follows: (1) Problem, (2) Analysis, (3) Patent needs, (4) Concept, (5) Patent database searching, (6) Design database searching, (7) Integration, (8) Evaluation, (9) Decision, (10) Claim, (11) Solution, (12) Monitor, (13) Enforce and (14) Patent protection. In actual implementation, ADP allows designers to create novel creations easily and helps efficient procurement of design patent protection. In summary, ADP is a brand new design process with an advanced and effective nature.