 Decision Support System 
 -----------------------
 
 This software is based on research from: 
 
       The Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Queensland Australia. 
 
       The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (ARS) 
       Southwest Watershed Research Center (SWRC) in Tucson Arizona. 
 
 This software was designed and built by: 
 
       Netstorm Pty Ltd, Queensland Australia. 
       http://www.netstorm.net.au 
 
       The Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Queensland Australia.
       http://www.dnr.qld.gov.au 
 
 Funding sources for this project include: 
 
       The Natural Heritage Trust, Appraisal System for Catchment Resource Use Management Strategies. 
 
       The USDA Water Quality Initiative. 
 
 Software Description 
 
 This Multi Objective Decision Support System (MODSS) software uses decision 
 rules, a hierarchical system for ranking criteria, score functions and linear 
 programming to identify a preferred management option consistent with the 
 ranking of the decision criteria. Assigning an importance order to the decision
 criteria overcomes in part the need to assign individual weights. The matrix 
 framework of management options and decision criteria is generic and open, 
 encouraging participation by all stakeholders and can accomodate measured data,
 simulation model results and expert opinions in the decision making process. 
 The results can be viewed in one of two formats; bar and polar. Results in the 
 bar format are displayed as horizontal bars with best and worst composite 
 scores; the length of the bars representing the sensitivity of the resource 
 management option to the individual ordering of the criteria. The polar format 
 highlights, and groups, differences between best and worst composite scores. 
 "What if" scenarios can be generated by reordering the decision criteria, 
 selecting a different score function or by including additional options and 
 criteria. The entire process can be exported to HTML allowing scenarios to be 
 viewed from anywhere on the web. 
 
 Future Directions 
 
 Currently this software supports standalone operation both by a single person 
 or as part of the facilitation process in a group scenario. In the future it 
 will be provided in a multiuser version where groups of stakeholders can share 
 and actively participate in scenarios from any location.  Repositories will 
 exist on the web (or locally) which stakeholders will use for synchronising 
 their scenarios. 
 
 Programming Platform 
 
 This software is written entirely in platform independent Java. As a result it 
 should run on any platform which supports the JDK/JRE 1.1.x environment. 
 
 Research 
 
 Continuing Research and Development collaborations between DNR Resource 
 Sciences Centre and SWRC are detailed in the Memorandum of Understanding 
 58-5342-8M-F014 (USDA). 
 
 
 August 1999
