Better group decisions: using knowledge acquisition techniques to build richer decision models

Existing group decision support systems used in meeting rooms can help teams reach decisions quickly and efficiently. However, the decision models used by these systems are inadequate for many types of problems. The authors describe their laboratory´s experience with knowledge acquisition systems and decision support tools. Their studies led them to develop a comprehensive decision model for group decision support systems. This model combines current brainstorming-oriented methods, structured text argumentation (using the gIBIS model), repertory grids, possibility tables (morphological charts), and influence diagrams from decision analysis. Each component addresses weaknesses in current group decision support systems. The authors are assembling these components together into a group decision support workbench