A theory is proposed for designing decision support systems (DSS) so that the confidence a decision maker has in a decision made using the aid equals the quality of that decision. The DSS design theory for user calibration prescribes properties of a DSS needed for users to achieve perfect calibration. Relevant calibration, decision making, and DSS literatures are synthesized; and related behavioral theories are borrowed to identify the properties of expressiveness, visibility, and inquirability as requisite components of the DSS design theory for user calibration.

The optimal amount of information needed in a given decision-making situation lies somewhere along a continuum from “not enough” to “too much”. Ackoff proposed that information systems often hinder the decision-making process by creating information overload. To deal with this problem, he called for systems that could filter and condense data so that only relevant information reached the decision maker. The potential for information overload is especially critical in text-based information. The purpose of this research is to investigate the effects and theoretical limitations of extract condensing as a text processing tool in terms of recipient performance. In the experiment described here, an environment is created in which the effects of text condensing are isolated from the effects of message and individual recipient differences. The data show no difference in reading comprehension performance between the condensed forms and the original document. This indicates that condensed forms can be produced that are equally as informative as the original document. These results suggest that it is possible to apply a relatively simple computer algorithm to text and produce extracts that capture enough of the information contained in the original document so that the recipient can perform as if he or she had read the original. These results also identify a methodology for assessing the effectiveness of text condensing schemes. The research presented here contributes to a small but growing body of work on text-based information systems and, specifically, text condensing.

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As the President of AIS who appointed the AIS members, a member of ACM, and Co-chair of the task force on computer information systems curricula with the ACM Education Board, I have had multiple points of view in my oversight of the work of the task group. I commend the Co-chairs and members of the task group for the report and the ACM Education Board chaired by Peter J. Denning, and the AIS VP Education, Maryam Alavi, for their support and review efforts.

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