GROUP DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEMS What Is A GDSS? a system that attempts to structure the group decision process in some way A Framework for the Analysis of Impacts, Pinsonneault & Kraemer, 1989 ======================== IMPACTS OF GDSS ON GROUPS: >> GDSS focus the efforts of group members toward the task, or problem to be solved by the group >> GDSS increase the overall quality of effort put in the decision process by the group. >> GDSS increase consensus reaching How these impacts affect decision time is inconsistent >> depends on efforts on task >> depends on increased participation ================= LIST OF FACTORS TO BE STUDIED: group size type of decision complexity of decision group's development stage reasons of members for joining the group power and status relationships group's density degree of anonymity structure of group processes presence and quality of a facilitator ===================== DESANCTIS AND GALLUPE (1987) ON GDSS: A GDSS aims to improve the process of group decision making by removing common communication barriers, providing techniques for structuring decision analysis, and systematically directing the pattern, timing, or content of discussion THREE LEVELS OF GROUP DECISION SUPPORT Level 1 GDSS -- provide technical features aimed at removing common communication barriers such as voting, electronic message exchange Level 2 GDSS -- provide decision modeling and group decision techniques aimed at reducing uncertainty that occur in the group's decision process Level 3 GDSS -- machine-induced group communication patterns and can include expert advice in the selecting and arranging of rules to be applied during a meeting ======================= Design of GDSS >> has been driven by three factors: >> group size >> the presence or absence of face-to-face interaction >> the task confronting the group Question: Should the goal of GDSS be to alter the communication process or should the GDSS merely automate what occurs in unsupported course of events? ========================= DISTINCTIONS AMONG GDSS, DSS, OA, CSCW, GROUPWARE, AND COMPUTER CONFERENCING DSS: focus on individual decision makers OA: keeping the office functioning EIS: advanced database and dialogue capabilities CSCW: embraces all aspect of work Groupware: software and hardware to drive a GDSS computer conferencing: more of an aid to discussion rather than decision making ========================= MAJOR RESEARCH PROBLEMS -- GDSS WHAT WE KNOW: experimentation with the use of decision rooms is still in its early stages Factors: >> anonymity >> facility design >> multiple public screens >> knowledge bases and databases >> software design >> group size and composition WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW: >> info needs of groups: >> a better understanding of what business groups now do and which of these activities and procedures should be supported by GDSS >> create and test new ways that groups can function because they have a GDSS ================= >> Effect on how groups work >> group size >> evaluate the optimal group size >> devise GDSS software for small groups >> group structure and meeting protocol >> number of people per station >> Effect on how organizations work >> the use of GDSS to support organizational decisions =================== BASIC GDSS FEATURES: >> text and data file creation, modification, and storage for group members >> word processing for text editing and formatting >> learning facilities >> online help facilities >> worksheets, spreadsheets, decision trees, and other means of graphically displaying numbers and text >> state of the art database management GROUP FEATURES: >> numerical and graphical summarization of group members' ideas and votes >> menus which prompt for input of text, data, or votes by group members >> program(s) for specialized group procedures >> method of analyzing prior group interactions and judgements >> text and data transmission among group members ====================== A TYPOLOGY OF GDSS FACILTIIES Delivery modes: >> permanent installations at the user's site >> portable installations brought to the user's site on an on-call basis >> permanent installation at the vendor's site >> facilities designed and sold by commerical firms GDSS FACILTIIES: Two basic phliosophies: 1. special purpose GDSS 2. full service GDSS Size of Facilities: >> ranging from 5 to 30 PCs small -- conference table or U-shaped large -- gallery seating ================= GDSS SOFTWARE: >> University of Arizona -- Electronic Meeting Systems >> University of Minnesota -- SAMM >> Xerox Parc -- COLAB >> Commercial-- Ventana Corp. -- Group Systems V ================ GRUDIN ON GROUPWARE (1993) "Computer support has focused on organizations and individuals. Groups are different...... Many expensive failures in developing and marketing software that is designed to support groups are not due to technical problems. They result from not understanding the unique demands this class of software imposes on developers and users." Groupware examples: desktop conferencing video conferencing coauthoring features & applications email & bulletin boards meeting support systems group calendars Labels vary: groupware CSCW collaborative computing workgroup computing =================== Mid 80's -- terms "groupware" and "CSCW" were coined groupware -- marketed as product; an application New Problems: >> because individuals interact with a groupware application, it has all the interface design challenges of single user applications, supplemented by a host of new challenges arising from its direct involvement in group processes Groupware -- Supports: mission development planning and strategy issue documentation and evaluation assumption surfacing stakeholder identification policy formulation nominal group work group negotiation idea development system requirements =========================== GroupSystems -- developed by University of Arizona, and the Ventana Corp. utilities and tools: >> electronic brainstorming >> idea organization >> issue analysis >> policy formation >> alternative evaluation >> voting >> a data dictionary >> full session documentation >> group questionnaire >> anonymous participation ==================== Other Group Products See Turban, 378: >> Idea Generation >> Higgins >> Lotus Notes >> Consensus Builder >> For Comment ============== WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT GROUPS McGrath on Groups: >> groups seldom exist in isolation >> groups have pasts, and expect to have futures >> groups do specific tasks, often complex >> multi-functional ============ Hutchings, 1993 Consider the following group behavior: >> purpose and communication >> content and process >> task and maintenance activities >> roles Group Development: >> forming >> storming >> norming >> performing >> adjourning McGrath -- Major Group goals: 1. generating ideas and actions 2. choosing alternatives 3. negotiating solutions ================ TURBAN On the Nature of Group Decision Making >> meetings are a joint activity -- equal or near equal status >> meeting outcomes depend on knowledge, opinion and judgements of group members >> composition and the decision making process also >> differences in opinion need to be settled ============== GDSS LAB STUDIES Some measures so far: efficiency (speed) effectiveness satisfaction with GDSS Specific lab studies have been criticized because: >> they use student groups and artificial tasks rather than ongoing groups that have decisions to make that are of importance to the group >> they usually involve only a single meeting >> they assume that the particular GDSS and experimental situation used are representative >> they focus on changes in outcomes, but not on changes in group process =============== Research Questions: >> Does GDSS simply provide a more cost-effective way of running meetings than previously? >> Are new types of meetings being held because of the capabilities available from GDSS? >> Are some existing meetings being eliminated or the number of meetings required to resolve an issue being changed? >> If time to closure on an issue decreases from the use of GDSS, is the organization losing concepts, ideas, and understanding that comes from longer gestation periods? >> Are the tangible outputs of GDSS (e.g., knowledge bases; recording of minutes, ideas, and assignments) being used to improve the quality of team performance? Questions on Software Design: >> what does the user see? >> what does the user have to understand about what is shown? >> what can the user do about what is shown? Range of Studies Needed: >> lab studies >> case studies >> field studies Three methodologies are applicable >> small group and large group research >> groups involved in single session and ongoing groups over many sessions >> the range of tasks from simple, artificial tasks to complex, real tasks Replication of experiments, too! ============ GDSS AREAS NEEDING RESEARCH: >> what groups do >> effects of GDSS on group work >> effects of GDSS on organizations >> effects of hardware on GDSS performance >> effects of software on GDSS performance >> cultural effects in GDSS >> training people to use GDSS >> cost-benefit analysis for GDSS >> critical success factors >> robustness of results >> innovative uses of GDSS >> underlying theory >> barriers to research ================== Barriers to Research in GDSS: >> the entry and operating costs >> the need for large number of subjects >> the lack of standards for reporting research designs and measurements >> instability of funding >> lack of a theory >> instability of software >> cost of software Theory Building for GDSS: >> group processes: formation, social development, task accomplishment, and group facilitation >> the nature of meetings: types, participant roles, and outcomes >> organizational decision making: types, participant roles, and outcomes >> the link between task structures and problem B solving strategies ================== Major Research Problems and Challenges >> understand GDSS as one of many tools -- match tools to tasks >> what kinds of meetings are suitable or unsuitable for GDSS support? >> what can be learned from studying individual behavior in the group context rather than the group as a whole? >> what is meant by "intelligent GDSS"? ============