A decision support system (DSS) is an information system that helps businesses and organizations make informed decisions by analyzing data, giving insights, and facilitating the decision-making process. DSSs can be totally automated, human-powered, or a hybrid of the two, and they help mid- and high-level management solve unstructured and semi-structured decision issues. These systems facilitate decision-making processes by integrating models or analytic approaches with data access features, emphasizing usability for non-computer-proficient users, and adjusting to environmental changes.
DSSs collect and analyze a variety of data, including inventory, sales statistics, and income estimates, to assist users in identifying and resolving problems, making choices, and planning successfully. They progressed from theoretical studies in the 1960s to a unique field of research in the 1970s and 1980s, resulting in the creation of executive information systems (EIS), group decision support systems (GDSS), and organizational decision support systems (ODSS). These systems may be classed into several frameworks, including text-oriented, database-oriented, spreadsheet-oriented, solver-oriented, rule-oriented, and compound DSSs, the last of which is a hybrid system that combines various structures.
DSS components include inputs for analysis, user knowledge and experience for manual analysis, outputs that create judgments based on user criteria, and DSS-generated decisions. These systems may be customized for a variety of sectors and disciplines, offering specific reports and insights to aid decision-making. Decision support systems are critical for increasing efficiency, timeliness, and informed decision-making in businesses by allowing users to manage complicated data, create reports, and make strategic decisions based on full information.