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     GROUP DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM

A DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM will provide stakeholders with an objective, independent tool for using databases and models for evaluating alternative actions and outcomes. A decision support system can be used to improve access of databases and models developed by the project, and to provide the means for data analysis and visualization.

Overview of Landscape Change DSS

Demonstration of Landscape Change DSS

Group Decision Support System Definition	Spatial group decision support system which facilitates environmental decision making
	Designed for non-technical decision makers
	Assists users in debating land issues, assessing current conditions, developing objectives, and constructing geographic proposals
	Proposals are evaluated against original decision objectives through interactive modeling, providing immediate feedback to decision makers for conflict mitigation and risk assessment
Basic Premise	Collaborative decision process which emphasizes evaluating decision alternatives within the context of established criteria
	Decision process requires defining decision criteria up front,
	Agreeing to an evaluation strategy for each decision criteria, and
	Then assessing alternative decision actions against these objectives
Objectives	Enable evaluation of the region's projected needs for infrastructure resources
	Determine the region's projected needs for infrastructure resources
	Identify issues that may affect the availability of resources
	Provide decision makers with tools to evaluate alternatives leading to sustained access to infrastructure resources
Specific Tasks	Adapt and Install GDSS
	Identify Regional Goals
	Identify regional Data and Model Requirements
	Populate GDSS with Regional Data
	Construct a Local Scenario
Discipline Scientists	Cooperative Support

U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey URL:http://rockyweb.cr.usgs.gov/frontrange/land/gdss/gdss.html Contact: Carol Mladinich  mailto:csmladinich@usgs.gov Updated: 07/28/2000