Decision Support Systems

Code:

EEC0086

Acronym:

SADE

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Other Technical Areas

Instance: 2014/2015 - 2S

Active?	Yes
Web Page:	https://www.fe.up.pt/si/disciplinas_GERAL.FormView?P_ANO_LECTIVO=2008/2009&P_CAD_CODIGO=EEC0086&P_PERIODO=2S
Responsible unit:	Department of Industrial Engineering and Management
Course/CS Responsible:	Master in Electrical and Computers Engineering

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
MIEEC	61	Syllabus	4	-	6	56	162

Teaching language

Suitable for English-speaking students

Objectives

Presentation of the general philosophy, structure and components of Decision Support Systems (DSS), as well as the methodologies and techniques to design and implement DSSs.

Presentation, discussion and practice of Problem Structuring Methods (Soft Operational Research) and of multi-criteria approaches to deal with the complexity of many problematic real situations.

Complement  the knowledge in Combinatorial Optimization and general heuristic techniques (Metaheuristics included) to solve practical problems, particularly in the domain of operational management.

Learning outcomes and competences

 

Competencies to:

• deal with real world complex situations of decision, optimization and management, by resorting to quantitative and qualitative methods and Multimethods;

• design and develop DSS;

• work in teams.

 

Working method

Presencial

Pre-requirements (prior knowledge) and co-requirements (common knowledge)

Operational Research.

Mathematical Analysis

Algebra

Probability and Statistics

Program

 1.       Decision Support Systems (DSS).

General structure and components; Quantitative methods for decision making; Operations Research methodology; Models; Qualitative aspects in decision making; Structure of decision problems

2.       Problem Structuring Methods (Soft OR)

SWOT Analysis. Mind Maps. Causal and Cognitive Maps. Strategic Options Development and Analysis. Soft Systems Methodology. Strategic Choice Approach. Scenario Planning.

3.       Theory of decision and Multi-criteria analysis

Situations of uncertainty and risk; Alternatives and decision criteria; Decision trees; Multiple-criteria decision problems; Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP).

4.       Combinatorial Optimization: models and applications.

Integer Programming and the Branch-and-Bound.
Dynamic Programming.

Heuristics and Metaheuristics: Local search algorithms, Simulated Annealing, Taboo Search; Genetic Algorithms.
Integration in DSSs.

5.       Methodologies to design DSSs and tools to implement them

Modularity and prototyping; Organisational aspects in DSS design; Presentation and discussion of case studies.

Mandatory literature

Powell, Stepehn G.; Management Science. ISBN: 978-0-470-03840-6
ed by Jonathan Rosenhead & John Mingers; Rational analysis for a problematic world revisited. ISBN: 0-471-49523-9
Hillier, Frederick S.; Introduction to operations research. ISBN: 0-07-118163-6
José Soeiro Ferreira; Textos vários de Sistemas de Apoio à Decisão

Complementary Bibliography

Reeves, Colin R. 340; Modern heuristic techniques for combinatorial problems. ISBN: 0-07-709239-2
George L. Nemhauser, Laurence A. Wolsey; Integer and combinatorial optimization. ISBN: 0-471-82819-X
António Gaspar-Cunha, Ricardo Takahashi, Carlos Henggeler Antunes, coordenadores; Manual de computação evolutiva e metaheurística. ISBN: 978-989-26-0150-2 (IUC)
Turban, Efraim; Decision support systems and intelligent systems. ISBN: 0-13-781675-8
José Soeiro Ferreira, Rui Oliveira (Eds); Investigação Operacional em ação, IUC, 2014. ISBN: 978-989-26-0737-5

Teaching methods and learning activities

This course unit will be based on the presentation of program, presentation and discussion of case studies and problem solving. Classes will take place twice a week and will last 2 hours. Students have to write reports as a part of their assessment. They will be mostly written outside class time.

keywords

Social sciences
Physical sciences > Mathematics > Applied mathematics > Operations research

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Exame	60,00
Participação presencial	10,00
Trabalho escrito	30,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Designation	Time (hours)
Elaboração de relatório/dissertação/tese	20,00
Estudo autónomo	40,00
Frequência das aulas	68,00
Total:	128,00

Eligibility for exams

Article 4 of General Evaluation Rules of FEUP.

Calculation formula of final grade

• EF (Closed book final exam) - 0 to 20 (minimum: 8)
• CE (Case Study) - 0 to 20 (minimum: 8)
• TP (Practical Assignment) - 0 to 20 (minimum: 8)
• AC (Continuous evaluation) - 0 to 20 (minimum: 8)

Final grade:

0.40EF + 0.30CE + + 0.20TP + 0.10AC

Examinations or Special Assignments

(CE) Group Case Study (selected and worked out)

(TP) Group Practical Assignment

(AC) Individual presentations and class participation

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

• EF (Closed book final exam) - 0 to 20 (minimum: 8)
• CE (Case Study) - 0 to 20 (minimum: 8)
• TP (Practical Assignment) - 0 to 20 (minimum: 8)
• AC (Continuous evaluation) - 0 to 20 (minimum: 8)

Final grade:

0.40EF + 0.30CE + + 0.20TP + 0.10AC

Classification improvement

No improvement of the grade of the practical assignments and evaluation