2.3 Models
A major characteristic of a DSS and many BI tools(notably those of business analytics) is the inclusion of at least one model.
The basic idea is to perform the DSS analysis on a model of reality rather than on the real system.
A model is a simplified representation or abstraction of reality. It is usually simplified because reality is too complex to describe exactly and because much of the complexity is actually irrelevant in solving a specific problem .
Model can represent system or problem with various degrees of abstraction .
They are classified, based on their degree of abstraction, as icon, analog, or mathematical.
Iconic(Scale)Models
Analog Models
Mental Models
Mathematical(Quantitative)Models
The Benefits of Models
Iconic(Scale)Models
An iconic model, also called the scale model-the least abstract type of model-is physical replica of a system, usually on a different scale from the original.
An iconic model may be three-dimensional, such as a model of an airplane, a car, a bridged, or a production line. photographs are two-dimensional iconic models.
Analog Models
An analog model behaves like the real system but dose not look like it.
It is more abstract than an iconic model and is a symbolic representation od reality.
Model of this type are usually two-dimensional charts or diagrams.
Organization charts that depict structure, authority, and responsibility, and relationships
Map on which different colors represent objects, such as bodies of water or mountains
Stock marker charts that represent the price movement of stocks
Animations, video, and movies