INTRODUCTION TO DSS DEVELOPMENT

6.2 INTRODUCTION TO DSS DEVELOPMENT

T h e HR I n f o N e t system illustrates a n u m b e r of i m p o r t a n t D S S / B I d e v e l o p m e n t a n d

i m p l e m e n t a t i o n issues. I t was built with a n i m p o r t a n t D S S d e v e l o p m e n t a p p r o a c h called prototyping (see D S S in A c t i o n 6.2). P r o t o t y p i n g is o n e a d a p t a t i o n of t h e tradi- tional system development life cycle (SDLC). T h e d e v e l o p m e n t t e a m s t a r t e d small

and e x p a n d e d t h e system over time. T h e y d e v e l o p e d t h e system sequentially in m o d - ules. As each m o d u l e was c o m p l e t e d , it was r e f i n e d a n d d e p l o y e d to users. T h e n t h e next m o d u l e was developed, r e f i n e d , a n d a d d e d to t h e system; t h e n the next; a n d so

on. T h e system evolved a s m o r e a n d m o r e subsystems could b e feasibly d e v e l o p e d within t h e b u d g e t a n d o n time. A n d , a s t h e t e a m a n d m a n a g e r s l e a r n e d m o r e a b o u t business p r o b l e m s by working with users and m a n a g e r s t h r o u g h o u t t h e d e v e l o p m e n t

process, they were able to refine t h e way t h e o l d e r subsystems w o r k e d a n d use their n e w f o u n d k n o w l e d g e i n developing t h e n e w modules. T h e I M E R Y S Case A p p l i c a t i o n

6.1 was d e v e l o p e d in a similar m a n n e r . As m o r e was l e a r n e d a b o u t t h e s t r u c t u r e of t h e real system f r o m D S S users a n d experts, t h e n e w k n o w l e d g e was i n c o r p o r a t e d into the newer modules and the older ones were either updated or scheduled to be updated.

T h e large-scale HR I n f o N e t system was d e v e l o p e d quickly by using a c o m m o n in-

h o u s e technology p l a t f o r m . HR I n f o N e t was c r e a t e d by a t e a m consisting of IS spe- cialists a n d HR specialists. This was an institutional D S S designed to be u s e d on a r e c u r r i n g basis b y m a n y e m p l o y e e s , s o m e o f w h o m w e r e n o t c o m p u t e r literate. Finally, t h e system continues to evolve because its success led m a n a g e r s and t h e t e a m to see n e w ways to apply the ideas d e v e l o p e d to o t h e r decision-making situations.

D e v e l o p m e n t of a DSS, especially a large one, is a complicated process. It involves issues ranging f r o m technical (e.g., h a r d w a r e selection a n d networking) to behavioral (e.g., user interfaces a n d t h e potential impact of D S S on individuals, groups, a n d t h e entire organization). This c h a p t e r concentrates mainly on D S S software d e v e l o p m e n t

issues.

B e c a u s e t h e r e a r e several t y p e s a n d c a t e g o r i e s of DSS, t h e r e is no single best

a p p r o a c h t o D S S d e v e l o p m e n t . T h e r e a r e m a n y variations b e c a u s e o f t h e d i f f e r e n c e s in organizations, decision-makers, and the DSS problem area. Some DSS are

d e s i g n e d t o s u p p o r t a o n e - t i m e d e c i s i o n , like t h e S c o t t H o u s i n g d e c i s i o n ( W e b

C h a p t e r ) , w h e r e a s t h e I M E R Y S D S S - i n C a s e A p p l i c a t i o n 6.1 w a s d e v e l o p e d f o r r e c u r r e n t use. S o m e systems can be d e v e l o p e d in a f e w days in an O L A P p a c k a g e , s p r e a d s h e e t , o r a n o t h e r tool, while others, like t h e O s r a m Sylvania H R I n f o N e t , t o o k s e v e r a l m o n t h s a n d will c o n t i n u e t o e v o l v e o v e r t h e n e x t s e v e r a l y e a r s . W e n o w explore issues involving D S S d e v e l o p m e n t time, m a n a g e r i a l aspects, c h a n g e m a n a g e - ment, and more.

P A R T II DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEMS'

DSS I N A C T I O N 6 .2

USER INTERFACE PROTOTYPING LEADS TO DSS SUCCESS

Some years ago, I worked for an international consult- menus, displays, and reports—so that the industrial ing firm in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I visited a large

engineering chief could see how the system would look midwestern (U.S.) tractor manufacturer to determine

and work (many users view the user interface as the its needs for an assembly line balancing method and to

entire system).

propose a decision support system. If the company With the interface prototype, the client saw what accepted the proposal, I would implement it. Though

he was going to get. The prototype enhanced user and there are many methods for solving assembly line bal-

managerial involvement, and guided their expectations.

ancing problems, this situation was different. Even It was a focal point that led users and managers to feel though I was familiar with published work on line bal-

that the proposed system would be exactly what they

ancing, I discovered that the company's industrial engi- had needed for several years. The proposal was neers had developed a unique, remarkable, effective

accepted, and the project was initiated and successfully approach that utilized information from their manufac-

completed on time and under budget. The user-inter-

turing methods database. I did not push existing meth- face prototype also was very useful to me as a system ods on them. Instead, I developed specifications for a

development guide.

unique system and included, as a major portion of the

proposal, a prototype of the user interface—a set of Source: Jay E. Aronson.