| Aim of Module | To enable the students to gain an understanding of the role of Information Systems within an organisation and, in particular, the use of Decision Support Systems to aid management decision-making. |
| Credits | 7 |
| Knowledge Assumed From | IS700 (IS300) Information Systems Management |
| Student Learning hours | 70 |
| Content Revised | pre 1996 |
| Prescription Expiry Date | Nov 2007 |
| Topics | Highest Skill Level | Suggested Assessment Percentage | |
| 1 Information Systems and the Organisation | C | 10 | |
| 2 MIS versus DSS | A | 5 | |
| 3 Decision Support Systems | P | 25 | |
| 4 End User Computing | C | 25 | |
| 5 Case Study | P | 35 | |
| 100 | |||
| 1 | Information Systems and the Organisation |
| C | 1.1 | Describe the types of Information Systems and their typical components. |
| C | 1.2 | Identify the factors that make an information system effective. |
| 2 | MIS versus DSS |
| A | R | Discuss the place of MIS in the Corporate planning process with an emphasis on decision support rather than information supply. |
| 3 | Decision Support Systems |
| C | 3.1 | Describe the following: |
| - The decision making process | ||
| - Decision categories | ||
| - Tools for developing a DSS | ||
| - Typical areas in which a DSS would be used | ||
| P | 3.2 | Identify examples of good design principles and good design practice. |
| 4 | End User Computing |
| C | 4.1 | Describe the following: |
| - How end user computing developed | ||
| - The benefits of end user computing | ||
| - The dangers of end user computing | ||
| C | 4.2 | Identify the rationale for creating an information centre as an approach to managing end user computing. |
| C | 4.3 | Explain how this approach would help or hinder the planning process. |
| 5 | Case Study |
| P | 5.1 | Take an application and design a DSS. The student should review their DSS with the class. |
| Note | ||
| > | A decision support system can be described as an information system used to perform some of the routine work associated with decision making (e.g. information gathering and modelling of the possible consequences) in a way that will assist a human decision maker but which does not actually make the decision itself. | |