This unit provides students with an understanding of the development and use of information systems that support managers, especially their decision-making tasks. Students will learn of the nature of management work and decision theory and how this affects the development of decision support systems. A number of commonly used decision support methods and techniques will be explored. Students will be introduced to personal decision support systems, group support systems, negotiation support systems, data warehousing, executive information systems and business intelligence.
2 hrs lectures/wk, 2 hrs laboratories/wk
IMS5005
One of FIT9003, IMS9001, IMS9003
Rob Meredith
Examination (3 hours): 50%; In-semester assessment: 50%
| Assessment Task | Value | Due Date |
|---|---|---|
| Strategic Decision Analysis | 25% | 4pm, Thursday 5 April 2012 |
| Personal Decision Support | 25% | 4pm, Friday 11 May 2012 |
| Examination 1 | 50% | To be advised |
Monash is committed to excellence in education and regularly seeks feedback from students, employers and staff. One of the key formal ways students have to provide feedback is through SETU, Student Evaluation of Teacher and Unit. The University's student evaluation policy requires that every unit is evaluated each year. Students are strongly encouraged to complete the surveys. The feedback is anonymous and provides the Faculty with evidence of aspects that students are satisfied and areas for improvement.
For more information on Monash's educational strategy, and on student evaluations, see:
http://www.monash.edu.au/about/monash-directions/directions.html
http://www.policy.monash.edu/policy-bank/academic/education/quality/student-evaluation-policy.html
The unit is unchanged in 2012.
If you wish to view how previous students rated this unit, please go to
https://emuapps.monash.edu.au/unitevaluations/index.jsp
Please check with your lecturer before purchasing any Required Resources. Prescribed texts are available for you to borrow in the library, and prescribed software is available in student labs.
You will need access to:
Information about computer use for students is available from the ITS Student Resource Guide in the Monash University Handbook.
There is no compulsory text for FIT5094. However, the following two texts are general textbooks that cover the DSS area. They both have chapters or sections that address some sessions. Both are available from the reserve collection of the Caulfield Library. (The first edition of Marakas is still relevant.)
• Mallach, E.G. (2000) Decision Support and Data Warehouse Systems. Boston: McGraw Hill (ISBN 0-07-289981-6).
• Marakas, G.M. (2003). Decision support systems in the 21st Century (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall (ISBN 0-13-101879-5).
| Week | Activities | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | No formal assessment or activities are undertaken in week 0 | |
| 1 | Using IT to support executive decision making | |
| 2 | Managerial information behaviours | |
| 3 | Overview of decision making and normative decision theory | |
| 4 | Behavioural decision theory 1 | |
| 5 | Behavioural decision theory 2 | |
| 6 | DSS development methods | Assessment Task 1: Strategic Decision Analysis - due 4pm, Thursday 5 April 2012 |
| 7 | Simulation modelling | |
| 8 | No lecture due to ANZAC Day | |
| 9 | Personal decision support systems | |
| 10 | Data warehousing | Assessment Task 2: Personal Decision Support - due 4pm, Friday 11 May 2012 |
| 11 | Business intelligence | |
| 12 | Management support strategy | |
| SWOT VAC | No formal assessment is undertaken in SWOT VAC | |
| Examination period | LINK to Assessment Policy: http://policy.monash.edu.au/policy-bank/ academic/education/assessment/ assessment-in-coursework-policy.html |
*Unit Schedule details will be maintained and communicated to you via your MUSO (Blackboard or Moodle) learning system.
Faculty Policy - Unit Assessment Hurdles (http://www.infotech.monash.edu.au/resources/staff/edgov/policies/assessment-examinations/unit-assessment-hurdles.html)
Mastery of a decison analysis task and presentation of that analysis. The detailed marking guide is available on the FIT5094 MUSO site.
Mastery of the development of a simulation model, and presentation and manipulation of the model. The detailed marking guide is available on the FIT5094 MUSO site. The assessment of this assignment will take place in a simulated work environment. Students are required to attend a 15 minute session allocated to them in Weeks 11 and 12.
It is a University requirement (http://www.policy.monash.edu/policy-bank/academic/education/conduct/plagiarism-procedures.html) for students to submit an assignment coversheet for each assessment item. Faculty Assignment coversheets can be found at http://www.infotech.monash.edu.au/resources/student/forms/. Please check with your Lecturer on the submission method for your assignment coversheet (e.g. attach a file to the online assignment submission, hand-in a hard copy, or use an online quiz).
Submission must be made by the due date otherwise penalties will be enforced.
You must negotiate any extensions formally with your campus unit leader via the in-semester special consideration process: http://www.infotech.monash.edu.au/resources/student/equity/special-consideration.html.
Students can expect assignments to be returned within two weeks of the submission date or after receipt, whichever is later.
No resubmission of assignments is possible in FIT5094.
All assignments should use APA style.
Monash has educational policies, procedures and guidelines, which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University's academic standards, and to provide advice on how they might uphold them.
You can find Monash's Education Policies at:
http://policy.monash.edu.au/policy-bank/academic/education/index.html
Key educational policies include:
The University provides many different kinds of support services for you. Contact your tutor if you need advice and see the range of services available at www.monash.edu.au/students. For Sunway see http://www.monash.edu.my/Student-services, and for South Africa see http://www.monash.ac.za/current/
The Monash University Library provides a range of services and resources that enable you to save time and be more effective in your learning and research. Go to http://www.lib.monash.edu.au or the library tab in my.monash portal for more information. At Sunway, visit the Library and Learning Commons at http://www.lib.monash.edu.my/. At South Africa visit http://www.lib.monash.ac.za/.
Academic support services may be available for students who have a disability or medical condition. Registration with the Disability Liaison Unit is required. Further information is available as follows:
A large number of articles and other reading material will be made available on the FIT5094 MUSO site.
The Caulfield campus library has a world-class collection of books and journals on decision support related topics.