Information and Decision Support Systems as a Challenge for New Democracies

Abstract

Methodologies for the analysis and synthesis of computer based information systems have been relying heavily upon traditional engineering paradigm. To manage an information system development project have been seen by many authors and consultants as analogous to managing a project of classic engineering. Systems philosophy, theory and/or methodology are frequently absent from the process of analyzing or synthesizing computer based information systems, as well as from methodologies that try to organize such kind of activities. The dominating dimension has been the classical engineering paradigm characterized by systematic, closed and inflexible methodologies. Other dimensions as systemic philosophy, theory and methodologies has been lacking. The information systems analysis and design should be embedded in these dimensions in order to work with systemic, open, flexible and anticipatory methodologies. The first part of this paper is to indicate a way of this kind of embedding by means of applying systems concepts to the information of the systems development and implementation. We shall also briefly describe, from a conceptual perspective, a corresponding systemic methodology which we have been designing, testing and modifying in the last 15 years, through the development and implementation of at least 120 information systems, ranging from small systems containing 45 end-user views to large systems with 1,600 end-user views. In the second part of paper are summarized the results of the design and implementation of an intelligent modelling and simulation environment for complex problem solving support. A framework comprising a set of modelling, simulation and assessment procedures has been developed. The architecture of an integrated software system has been designed. A problem-dependent software system SIMOS PAM has been implemented in a number of policy analysis applications concerning the transition to new economic and political structures for a newly democratizing country.