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The motivation arises from general recognition of need as well as by statements by cooperating agency <br />staff regarding design and implementation of the CRDSS. There was a desire to know just what the <br />CRDSS is, what data it has, and what it can do. These design issues relate to the technical capabilities of <br />the CRDSS and the interface for its use. Other issues require acknowledgment and formulation of <br />administrative procedures for resolution. Foremost among these are issues relating to the long-term <br />management framework for the CRDSS. Beyond these issues are those relating to protocols for using <br />the CRDSS in formulating State water policies and the interactions between the major institutions and <br />interest groups which carry out such policies. A listing of issues articulated by potential CRDSS users <br />and related sources is presented in Appendix A. <br />Outline of Task Memorandum <br />This task memorandum reviews the methods used to formulate and conduct the user survey. Included is <br />a review of approaches to the design and implementation of a DSS, the role of user involvement, and the <br />outline of topics addressed in the survey. This memorandum then presents results of the survey, <br />including the agencies represented and a topic-by-topic summary of their responses. The conclusions <br />obtained from the DSS design approaches review and the user survey are identified. Following that are <br />recommendations for specific actions to address CRDSS design and implementation issues. The <br />conclusions and recommendations derive mainly from the survey, but also from the literature and mix of <br />activities in conducting the survey. Appendices contain related background information and the <br />questionnaire used at the focus group workshops. <br />Methods <br />Approaches to Designing and Implementing DSS <br />A brief review of requirements for development and implementation of decision support systems is <br />appropriate to establish a common background of understanding on the scope of such endeavors. <br />Standard references on the subject (e.g. Sage, 1991, Decision Support Systems Engineering) are used to <br />support the review. The technical components of a DSS are 1) the data base management system, 2) the <br />model base management system, and 3) the dialog generation and management system (Figure 1). These <br />components occur in some decision environments and are used to interact with some decision makers. <br />Decision <br />Decision Mak er <br />Environmen t <br />Dialog Generation & <br />Management System <br />Database Model Base <br />Management System Management System <br />Figure 1. <br /> Generic Components in a Decision Support System (adapted from Sage 1991). <br />In any organization there may occur a variety of types of decisions. Anthony (19xx) identified four <br />categories of decisions, including those for 1) strategic planning, 2) management control, 3) operational <br />2 <br />A 275 01.09.95 1.19-1 Johnson, Grigg, Tang <br />