Validation of decision-aiding spreadsheets: the influence of contingency factors

Abstract

This paper describes an investigation into the influence of contingency factors on the validation of spreadsheet-based decision support systems (DSS), and develops a methodological framework for validation that takes account of the effect of contingency factors. The research extends and confirms previous research by one of the authors who identified relevant contingency factors. The perceived influence of these contingency factors on validation effort was investigated by an empirical study, and the results of this study were then used to derive contingency-related guidance for validation. This was evaluated by a sample of practitioners and academics with experience in the development of spreadsheet-based DSS, and was then incorporated into a methodological framework for validation. The framework is designed to enable managers, decision-makers, project leaders and other non-OR specialists to identify the extent of validation effort likely to be required to ensure that the spreadsheet models that they build are valid. The research has implications for the validation of other types of OR models.

Keywords:

• contingency factors
• decision support
• modelling
• spreadsheet
• validation

Acknowledgements

We gratefully acknowledge the support of the ESRC who funded the research described in this paper under Grant Award R000339292.