Contribution: This study identifies the attributes of complexity that can be incorporated into engineering design problems at first-year undergraduate engineering projects. The findings are compiled as a set of guidelines to aid engineering educators in crafting design problems. Background: Engineering professionals solve complex problems like…

Today's complex and fast-evolving world necessitates young students to possess design and problem-solving skills more than ever. One alternative method of teaching children problem-solving or thinking skills has been using computer programming, and more recently, game-design tasks. In this pre-experimental study, a group of middle school…

Kaplan and Norton introduced the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) which is based on a systems perspective of the business strategy and performance measurement. Many organizations around the world are using the BSC to define, implement and manage strategy. Nevertheless there exist studies that identify problems and limitations associated with the…

Results of preliminary field work with a number of educational agencies in the Atlanta area attempting to assess the interest of key decision-makers in such agencies in systems analysis approaches to problems and the level of problem with which such interest is embraced is reported. (Author)

This introductory article defines and delimits expert systems. The discussion covers the concepts of artificial intelligence, the components of an expert system, and the significance of expert systems when compared to more traditional decision making tools. (CLB)

The process of dealing with real world problems often requires solutions that would not be totally acceptable in the world of "pure" scientific research. A systems analytic viewpoint demands that everything possible be done to define the constraints of the system and that the procedures used to construct a model out of imperfect data be specified.…

Discusses application of systems analysis to social and behavioral science as well as machine and non-machine systems. Presents rationale, principles, techniques, and advantages and disadvantages. (CJ)

This paper describes the characteristics and circumstances defining nine decision cases in an effort to provide methodological assistance for practitioners. Each case is examined according to its objectives (single or multiple), resource level (limited or unlimited), time frame (a priori or evaluative), and the nature of desired decisions. In…

Presented for the special educator are some concepts and procedures used in systems analysis, a relatively new study area used in many fields to structure knowledge, to analyze problems, and to suggest and test solutions. (MC)

Guidelines to facilitate the assessment and development of educational leadership decision-making skills are presented in this paper. Included are a review of traditional and contemporary concepts of the decision-making process, identification of appropriate techniques, and an analysis of four contemporary decision-making models by Thompson,…

Presents a conceptual framework for the development of decision support systems which outlines abstractions involved in the decision-making process and describes various functions and components of the system. The computer architecture is described and an example of an application is provided. (31 references) (Author/CLB)

In contrast to science and technology, public policymaking systems lack knowledge about the design and operation of overall social control. Policy sciences contribute to the understanding and improvement of large-scale control systems, especially in their attempt to give rationality to policymaking and decisionmaking activities. The most important…

Whether they want to prevent upheaval by student revolt or, more importantly, increase the development of mature and responsible students, personnel workers must evaluate and quantify what they are trying to do, what means they are using, and what progress they are making. Operations analysis is an excellent technique for this. (Author)

This paper is an account of the theoretical and practical underpinnings of the Decision-Proposal Modification Coding System (DPM), which allows researchers to study more accurately the many aspects of group decision making in organizations. Following an introduction that reviews and supports arguments for process-oriented research on decision…

THIS PAPER INVESTIGATES VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THE SYSTEMS APPROACH FOR SOLVING EDUCATIONAL PROBLEMS--(1) THE SYSTEMS CONCEPT, (2) THE RELIABILITY OF THE ASSUMPTIONS ON WHICH THE SYSTEMS APPROACH IS BASED, (3) THE LIMITATIONS INHERENT IN THE SYSTEMS APPROACH, (4) THE HUMAN ELEMENT AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SYSTEMS APPROACH, (5) THE WAYS THE…