APSRU Seminar Series 17/03/05

Presenter:
Brett Robinson, Department of Natural Resources and Mines, Toowoomba

Topic:
"Causes of the limited success of decision support systems (DSS) in broadacre agriculture."

Abstract:
A very brief history of DSS goes something like this;
Simple models used with enthusiasm and hope (1970s, 1980s)
A period of struggling for user acceptance (1980s, early 1990s)
A period of review, where the language and focus changed. Discussion support systems for co-learning (late 1990s)
In the end, not many successes, reviews ask why (2000-2005)

This seminar is about examining some historical evidence and finding out why DSS aren't very popular (and perhaps just as importantly - why people keep asking why DSS aren't popular).

One simple reason for the failure of DSS is that scientists developed and applied the tools, thinking that good decision-making and better farm management is rational, and information-limited. While sounding fair and reasonable, the decision-making literature points out the rarity of such situations. Indeed this view was recognised as scientism* almost from the outset of DSS development. In DSS, scientism has led to the gross overestimation of the value of sceptical, rational knowledge. Besides the decision support literature, I also draw on soft systems thinking and the 3 arms of the social sciences (psychology, sociology and anthropology) to reject the proposition that sceptical, rational information is a significant limiting factor in broadacre agricultural decision-making.

A second reason that DSS have failed is that they have been unable to compete in the marketplace with simpler, more efficient, and more attractive systems of supporting decisions. Only recently have DSS developers recognised that they are competitors for farmer's time (and other resources). In the area of DSS, this means that new systems must be more efficient, effective or accessible than the decision support they already enjoy (from advisors, neighbours, etc.). The high level of indigenous knowledge and generally competent management by farmers and their advisors creates an environment in which the development of a successful DSS is an extremely difficult task. The very limited success of DSS in broadacre agriculture is a reflection of this, and in hindsight, is not surprising.

* Scientism is, among other things, a misplaced belief that science is well-situated to inform human action.

The PowerPoint Presentation of this seminar is available here as a pdf file (787KB).