Chapter 9: Information, Decision Support, Artificial Intelligence, and Special- Purpose Systems...

Chapter 9: Information, Decision Support, Artificial Intelligence, and Special-Purpose Systems

Succeeding with Technology: Second Edition

Succeeding with Technology 2

Objectives

Define the stages of decision making and problem solving

Discuss the use of management information systems in providing reports to help solve structured problems

Describe how decision support systems are used to solve nonprogrammed and unstructured problems


Objectives (continued)

Explain how a group decision support system can help people and organizations collaborate on team projects

Discuss the uses of artificial intelligence and special-purpose systems


Decision Making and Problem Solving

Decision making Process that takes place in three stages

Intelligence Design Choice


Decision Making and Problem Solving (continued) Intelligence stage

Identify and define potential problems or opportunities

Design stage Develop alternative solutions

Choice stage Select a course of action


Decision Making and Problem Solving (continued) Problem solving

Includes and goes beyond decision making Implementation stage

Action is taken to put the solution into effect Monitoring stage

Decision makers evaluate the implementation of the solution


Decision Making and Problem Solving (continued) Reactive problem-solving approach

Wait until problem surfaces before taking action Proactive approach

Seek out potential problems before they become serious


Programmed versus Nonprogrammed Decisions

Programmed decisions Made using a rule, procedure, or quantitative

method Management information systems

Often used to support programmed decisions Nonprogrammed decisions

Deal with unusual or exceptional situations


Optimization and Heuristic Approaches

Optimization model Will find the best solution Utilizes problem constraints

Heuristics (“rules of thumb”) Commonly accepted guidelines Usually find a good solution, but not the optimal

solution


Management Information System Often used to

Support programmed decisions made in response to structured problems

Primary purpose To help individuals and organizations achieve their

goals


Inputs to a Management Information System

Input data can originate from internal or external sources

TPS Most significant internal source of data for the MIS Major activity is to capture and store data resulting

from ongoing transactions Databases

Supply data to MIS


Outputs of a Management Information System Scheduled reports

Produced periodically or on a schedule Key-indicator report

Special type of scheduled report Summarizes previous day’s critical activities Available at the beginning of each workday


Outputs of a Management Information System (continued) Demand reports

Give certain information at a person’s request Exception reports

Automatically produced when a situation is unusual or requires action

Used to help fight terrorism


Decision Support Systems

Focus is on decision-making effectiveness Should assist people and organizations with all

aspects of decision making The approach realizes that people, not machines,

make decisions


Characteristics of a Decision Support System

Handle a Range of Data Obtain and Process Data from Different Sources Provide Report and Presentation Flexibility Perform complex, sophisticated analysis and

comparisons using advanced software packages


Characteristics of a Decision Support System (continued) Support Optimization and Heuristic Approaches Perform What-if and Goal-seeking Analysis

What-if analysis Process of making hypothetical changes to problem

data and observing the impact on the results Goal-seeking analysis

Process of determining what problem data is required for a given result

Simulation DSS attempts to mimic an event that could happen in

the future


The Group Decision Support System DSS approaches

Many not suitable for a group decision-making environment

Group decision support system (GDSS) Also called a computerized collaborative work

system Hardware, software, people, databases, and

procedures needed to provide effective support in group decision-making settings


Characteristics of a GDSS

Special Design Flexibility Anonymous Input Reduction of Negative Group Behavior Support of positive group behavior


GDSS Software or Groupware Helps with joint work group scheduling,

communication, and management Lotus Notes

Popular groupware package Can capture, store, manipulate, and distribute

memos and communications Using groupware

Gives every employee rapid access to a vast source of information


Artificial Intelligence and Special-Purpose Systems Artificial intelligence (AI)

Computers with ability to mimic or duplicate the functions of the human brain

Advances in AI Have led to systems that work like the human brain

to recognize complex patterns


Artificial Intelligence and Special-Purpose Systems

AI systems are helping to Make medical diagnoses Explore for natural resources Determine what is wrong with mechanical devices


The Difference Between Natural and Artificial Intelligence One driving force behind AI research

An attempt to understand how human beings actually reason and think

Turing Test Attempts to determine if the responses from a

computer with intelligent behavior are indistinguishable from responses from a human

No computer has passed


Components of Artificial Intelligence Robotics Vision systems Natural language processing Learning systems Neural networks Genetic algorithms Intelligent agents Expert systems


Robotics

Developing mechanical or computer devices to Perform tasks that require a high degree of

precision Contemporary robotics

Combine high-precision machine capabilities and sophisticated controlling software


Vision Systems

Include hardware and software that Permit computers to capture, store, and manipulate

visual images and pictures Can be used to give robots “sight” U.S. Justice Department

Makes use of vision systems to perform fingerprint analysis


Natural Language Processing Referred to as speech recognition Allows computers to

Understand and react to commands made in a “natural” language

Three major challenges of natural language Interpreting ambiguous words Sentence parsing Being able to interpret the unique ways in which

people pronounce words


Learning Systems

Combination of software and hardware Allows computer to change how it functions or

reacts to situations based on feedback Learning systems software

Requires feedback on the results of its actions or decisions


Neural Networks

Act like or simulate the functioning of a human brain Features of neural networks

Ability to retrieve information Fast modification of stored data Ability to discover relationships and trends in large

databases Ability to solve complex problems for which all

information is not present


Fuzzy Logic

Deals in probabilities rather than absolutes Example of fuzzy logic

Unclear terms, like “tall” or “many” Fuzzy logic theory

Allows people to incorporate interpretations and relationships that are not completely precise


Genetic Algorithms

An approach to solving large, complex problems Based on the theory of evolution First step in generating the algorithm

Change or vary a number of competing solutions to the problem

Second step Select only the best models or algorithms, which

continue to evolve


Intelligent Agents

Also called an intelligent robot or bot Consist of

Programs and a knowledge base used to perform a specific task

Used by the U.S. Army to Route security clearance information for soldiers


Expert Systems

Act or behave like a human expert in a field or area Computerized expert systems have been developed

to Diagnose diseases given a patient’s symptoms Suggest the cause of a mechanical failure of an

engine


Specialized Systems

Virtual Reality Systems Computer-simulated environment or event

Geographic Information Systems Capable of storing, manipulating, and displaying

geographic or special information


Specialized Systems (continued) Game Theory Systems

Develop strategies for people who are competing against each other

Other Specialized Systems Informatics

Combines traditional disciplines with computer systems and technology

Bioinformatics: combines biology and computer science


Summary Three phases of decision making

Intelligence, design, and choice Problem solving

Takes decision making a step further Implements the choice Monitors the effects of the decision

MIS Provide managers with insight into the regular

operations of the organization Output

Scheduled reports, demand reports, and exception reports


Summary (continued)

Decision support systems Can handle large amount of data Can obtain and process data from different sources Can provide report and presentation flexibility

Group decision support system (GDSS) A computerized collaborative work system

Artificial intelligence (AI) includes Robotics Learning systems Neural networks

Chapter 9: Information, Decision Support, Artificial Intelligence, and Special- Purpose Systems...

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