ADVANCING THE THEORY OF DSS DESIGN FOR USER CALIBRATION - Human-Computer Interaction and Management Information Systems: Foundations - page 48

Figure 5.2 Decision-Making Usefulness of Different Means of Symbolic Representation in

Relation to Problem Novelty

High

Visual
Imagery

Overt Exploratory
Activity

Linguistic

Low

Low High

Problem Novelty

Source: Kaufmann (1980, 1985, 1996).

DSS dialog symbols and actions must promote both physical and cognitive interaction. In other
words, a DSS dialog must contribute to enhancing the decision maker's cognitive problem-solving/
decision-making activities in a convivial manner. The DSS design theory for user calibration contends
that this will require designing the symbols and actions of the DSS dialog to reflect those of the deci-
sion maker's natural system of symbolic representation. In this regard we draw upon the work of
Kaufmann (1980, 1985). Based on this work, the theory of DSS design for user calibration argues that
DSS dialog symbols and actions can be conceptualized as those pertaining to expressiveness (linguis-
tics reasoning), visibility (visual-imagery reasoning), and inquirability (overt-exploratory reasoning).

THEORIES RELEVANT TO USER CALIBRATION

The relationship between mental representation and decision making is articulated in the the-
ory of symbolic representation in problem solving. Developed by Kaufmann (1980, 1985) and
Helstrup (1987), the theory of symbolic representation in problem solving/decision making con-
tends that problem solving/decision making is based on symbolic reasoning. Arguing that cogni-
tion cannot be separated from its symbols and reasoning, the theory uses the term “symbolic
representation” to include both static internal coding(s) and active reasoning (Kaufmann, 1985).
According to the theory, the symbols and actions in problem solving/decision making are: lin-
guistic, visual imagery, and overt exploratory activity. Figure 5.2 provides a schematic illustration
of the relationships proposed by the theory of symbolic representation in problem solving. It also
shows the decision-making usefulness of the different symbols and actions in relation to problem
novelty. The theory holds that the locus of symbolic representation for problem solving varies
from linguistic to visual imagery representation to exploratory reasoning with problem novelty.
If the novelty of the problem is low, the usefulness of linguistic symbols as means of decision
making is high. As problem novelty increases, the usefulness of both visual imagery and overt
exploratory increase as means of decision making. As the degree of novelty exceeds the useful-
ness of one's linguistic and visual imagery symbols, one must resort to overt exploratory reason-
ing to construct a mental image of the problem. According to the theory, the quality of mental acts
(decision quality, decision confidence, etc.) depends upon matching the appropriate symbols and
actions to the needs dictated by the novelty of the problem.