A Survey of the Application of Machine Learning in Decision Support Systems

Machine learning is a useful technology for decision support systems and assumes greater importance in research and practice. Whilst much of the work focuses technical implementations and the adaption of machine learning algorithms to application domains, the factors of machine learning design affecting the usefulness of decision support are still understudied. To enhance the understanding of machine learning and its use in decision support systems, we report the results of our content analysis of design-oriented research published between 1994 and 2013 in major Information Systems outlets. The findings suggest that the usefulness of machine learning for supporting decision-makers is dependent on the task, the phase of decision-making, and the applied technologies. We also report about the advantages and limitations of prior research, the applied evaluation methods and implications for future decision support research. Our findings suggest that future decision support research should shed more light on organizational and people-related evaluation criteria.