Question

What is DSS? What are the components of DSS? How does it work? What is Expert system? What are the components of ES? How does it work? What are the similarities and differences between DSS and ES?

Answer 1

DSS stands for Decision Support System which is an application software used across the organizations to make complex decisions. They use the data available within or outside the organizations from different departments or sources to analyze it and then provide the different solutions.

For example , in the metal pipe manufacturing company , each pipe goes through the extrusion process where at each stage, the machines are highly specialized to check the dimensions of the input and output extrusion pipes. At this stage manager selects the lot of pipes as unnecessary number of pipes will cause queues and blockages in the process. For this manager uses DSS to make this decision. He makes his decisions considering various factors like how many lots are in process or the status of the queue of the pipes on the floor and others.

DSS basically helps the managers to make the decisions and not make the decision on its own. The factors or the output of the DSS are structured as the number of variables used to make decision are numerous. It helps to utilize, analyze, quantify the data available to make decision.

Below are the components of the DSS:

1. DBMS : It consists of the data from the current and previous processes or decision making processes from different group of people within the organization or outside. It is very organized and structured and is very easy to access and understand for different purposes. DSS extracts the data from database and provides to the managers for making decisions.
2. User Interface : The managers and the related employees explore and analyze the data and provide supportive data to make decisions using DSS.
3. Software / Hardware resource : It is a combination of hardware and software applications that take the data as input and provides the relevant output data to the managers that can be used to analyze the situation and make decisions.
4. Model management : It includes various mathematical models or algorithms that are stored in the form of software applications that is used to make the specific decisions.

Process involved in DSS:

1. Input : At this stage the problems and scenarios are brought in place that needs a solution to it. The problem statement is defined that needs support to be solved. At this level , the resources are being defined and the context of the problem is defied.
2. Design : It includes putting together the software , hardware , model , database and user interface resources. All these are put together and a design is prepared in order to realize the requirements to perform DSS for the problem.
3. Testing : Now that all the options are put together , then the best option is selected by testing all the choices available to solve the present problem.
4. Deployment : After all the choices are being taken care of and the best solution is being decided using DSS then the manager takes the final decision using the DSS to solve the problem.

ES stands for Expert System that is a computer application in the field of artificial intelligence that uses the expert database to simulate the human or organization behavior for a particular problem situation. The expert systems are given a problem and using their expert database , mathematical models and defined set of rules , according to the current human or organizational behavior they , provide a solution to the problem. It is interactive in nature and is considered to be at the top most level of human intelligence . It is capable of solving those problems that require human expertise .

Below are the components and process of the ES:

1. User Interface – It consist of the group of people that provides the system the problem statement in the form of the query. After the query is being processed the result is shown to the users through this interface . It is basically a channel for the communication between the user and the Expert System.
2. Inference Engine – It is considered the main component of the system or the brain of the expert system that consist of the mathematical rules and software programs that are used to solve the query entered by the users through the user interface explained in the above point.
3. Database – It is the storage of all the data gathered over a period of time from different sources about the domain. When the user enters the query for which he needs a solution then the inference engine refers the database and uses the relevant data as a input to the rules and mathematical models defined in the engine to solve the query.

Differences between DSS and ES:

1. DSS is a system that helps the managers to make the decisions for the problem whereas the ES makes the decisions to solve the problem itself by using the rules and data defined in the system about the domain.
2. DSS have unstructured environment as it only helps in making decisions whereas ES has fully planned and structured environment as it makes the decision that require expert knowledge.
3. The output of the DSS is the data outcome that helps to make the decisions whereas ES output is the final solution to the problem.

Similarities between DSS and ES:

1. Both the systems are used for improving the quality of making the decisions for the problem in a particular domain using the database repository developed using the sources from the previous and current processes.
2. Both uses the knowledge base or database to solve the problems within their capability.
3. In both the systems the user interface is very important as the user inputs the problem query through the user interface .
4. Both have some mathematical models and rules defined in the brain of the DSS and ES to solve the queries entered by the users.