Abstract
The primary objective of this paper is to investigate the design for a generic Information System Development Support System (IS/DSS), i.e., a computer-based system to assist the various participants involved in developing an information system. A secondary objective is to demonstrate, by example, the types of considerations and design implications involved when attempting to develop a DBMS-based DSS.
IS/DSS’s are not new. A number in fact have been partially or completely implemented and reported in the literature with many more on the way. Some have been partially successful; however the majority have been singularly unsuccessful and have atrophied and died. Still, there are good reasons to continue to develop such systems, which will be taken up in the second section of the paper.
The approach this paper will take towards the first objective is to begin with a critical examination of the ISD process in the context of what might be called a “relativist” or contingent view of ISD. From this view it will be seen that a number of alternative schemata’s or world-views are necessary if ISD support is to be successful over a variety of organizational settings, objectives and participants.
Next, to progress towards a design basis for the generic IS/DSS, the concepts and technology of DBMS will be explored. The isomorphism between ISD schemata’s (to be called “frames”) and DBMS (conceptual) schemas will be taken up. This will, of course, lead directly to a confrontation with the problems faced by DBMS conceptual schema development when applied to the area of information systems development (ISD). This confrontation will be examined and a solution offered.
The issue of constructing a DBMS-centered support system also raises the issues addressed by the DSS area. After a brief discussion of these issues, a resolution is proposed which favours a front-end knowledge-base/back-end DBMS system approach to the development of an IS/DSS.
Finally, the schematas of some existing IS/DSS approaches are examined. The comparison is then made with the proposed generic IS/DSS and some final comments are made regarding the implementation of such a system.
Regarding the second objective, we will attempt to highlight, as we proceed, the issues and considerations which have gone into the specification of the proposed IS/DSS as a template for how other DBMS-based DSS’ might be evolved.
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Welke, R.J. (1983). IS/DSS: DBMS Support for Information Systems Development. In: Holsapple, C.W., Whinston, A.B. (eds) Data Base Management: Theory and Applications. Nato Advanced Study Institutes Series, vol 98. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-7029-8_10
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-7029-8_10
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