Object oriented methodologies in decision and information technologies

This paper provides an overview of object oriented approaches to problem representation and solution, particularly from the point of view of systems engineering approaches to the information and decision technologies. This potentially very useful approach for systems analysis and software development is based upon objects and their attributes, classes of objects and their members, and other purposefully oriented structural elements that are vital in systems engineering. The paper illustrates some of the advantages of an object oriented approach for the design of the data base management systems, model base management, and dialog generation and management system components of a decision support system. Of particular concern are systems management process and cognitive ergonomics issues that must be addressed by object oriented methodologies if they are to become effective and efficient software systems engineering methodologies. These are discussed in the concluding sections of the paper.