An investigation of hypermedia support for problem decomposition

Abstract

Hypermedia research has focused on information access as opposed to problem solving and decision making in organizations. This research study addresses hypermedia's support of decision making in three ways: (1) demonstrating an implemented computational hypermedia system to support decisions suitable for problem decomposition; (2) utilizing process tracing methods for unobtrusively observing cognitive uses of hypermedia, and (3) empirically investigating patterns of navigation utilized by decision makers with hypermedia support. A controlled laboratory investigation, including a preliminary pilot test, was conducted. Results comparing navigation patterns of decision makers using hypermedia support for problem reduction challenge some previously assumed beliefs about the utility of “drill down”; and other hypermedia problem reduction techniques. Extensions and implications of this study for organizational decision making and further research are discussed.

Keywords:

• hypermedia
• decision making
• problem reduction
• problem decomposition
• drill down
• process tracing
• DuPont model