Decision Support Systems and Business Modelling

Full course description

Decision support systems are computer-based systems for management decision makers who deal with semi-structured decision problems.
A DSS is closely related to a MIS, a management information system. Where a MIS helps decision makers utilize data and models to solve
structured problems, a DSS aims to give the same support, in case the problem is less structured (less routine). In this course, we will
focus on the separate techniques that form the building blocks of a DSS: databases, spreadsheet models, recommendation model, and the user
interface. Developing a business model as a decision aid for a self-designed choice problem is the major assignment of the course.
We will use Excel and VBA as a tool to program our own DSS. Writing a management report describing the DSS and its possible implementation
is the second practical assignment. Together, those two assignments compose the project done by small project groups of 2 students.