User interaction in decision support systems: the role of justification
Giovanni Guida, P. Mussio, Marina Zanella · 2002
Justification has a central role in the interaction between a user and a decision support system (DSS). Justification is aimed at supporting the user conviction that the output of a DSS is correct, reliable, and trustworthy, providing sound specific motivations and credible reasons. Therefore, it is a primary task for improving user acceptance, and making user interaction more effective and efficient. The paper discusses the concept of justification and proposes a classification of justification according to two dimensions: the relation of justification with the problem solving process used to derive the DSS conclusion's (dependent or independent) and the representation of justification knowledge (explicit or implicit). Later, it analyzes the nature of justification knowledge, and provides a new model to represent teleological, causal and behavioral knowledge for justification. Finally two concrete examples are discussed, concerning a DSS that supports the chief melter in charge of controlling the operation of an arc furnace for steel production (CMSS and ExplainCMSS) and a DSS that assists physicians in the diagnosis of liver diseases (ISHeE).