A survey of contingency factors affecting the validation of end-user spreadsheet-based decision support systems

Decision support systems have become widespread in recent years. However, most of these systems are not carefully validated and this has led in some cases to serious errors. One of the principal reasons for the lack of validity is the lack of an operationalised validation methodology. A simplified validity framework has already been developed by the authors as the first part of a 3-phase approach towards devising a practical validation methodology. This paper describes the second phase, reporting as it does on a survey that has been undertaken to unearth the contingency factors that influence how the process of validation, employing the validity framework, will be carried out for a particular kind of decision support system – one involving a spreadsheet model.