CSC 379 SUM2008:Week 5, Group 4
Decision Support Systems
General overview here
DSS in the Military
DSS in Health Care
Other applications
As we become more willing to incorporate more complex software into our daily lives, we are able to solve problems with fewer people and less complex organizational structures. To allow one person to take the place of a decision group, decision-support systems have been developed. These systems distill expert knowledge and present it to the individual. Many decision-support systems are in use in medicine, to guide diagnoses, recommend treatments to practitioners, and assist with risk-assessment of procedures. Software also helps forestall medical emergencies through patient monitoring. In the military, decision support systems are everywhere, from the fast-paced environment of a fighter-jet cockpit to command-and-control centers. Other decision-support systems are used in business and government.
It is easy to see how decision-support systems could cause harm, as well as prevent it. Examine the ethical considerations raised in the design and use of decision-support systems (in general). What, if any ethical responsibilities apply to the software engineer in development of a decision-support system where errors in its design or use could result in serious harm? If a decision-support system is shown to reduce harm, improve quality of life, or otherwise provide a net-benefit to its users (fewer medical errors, battleground casualties, reduced costs of providing an essential public service, etc.), is it unethical to resist its adoption? Please explain your answers.