An intelligent decision support system for service network planning

The joint use of an optimization model and a simulation model as a two-stage methodology has been successfully applied in various operation planning situations, such as service network planning. While using the two-stage methodology, the decision-maker, who is normally a domain expert, also needs to be familiar with the models. He/she manipulates the two models iteratively to reach a planning solution. This paper presents an intelligent decision support system (IDSS), which integrates a decision support system (DSS) with an expert system (ES), to provide guidance to the decision-maker during the planning process. As proof of this concept, a PC-based IDSS prototype was built and implemented in the design of a service network for a major air-express courier.