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Decision Support Systems - Module I (6 ECTS): Decision Support Databases A.Y. 2025/26

This is the first module of Decision Support Systems (801AA, 12 ECTS), previously called Decision Support Databases (662AA, 6 ECTS).

Overview

The module presents the main approaches to the design and implementation of decision support databases, and the characteristics of business intelligence tools and computer-based information systems used to produce summary information to facilitate appropriate decision-making processes and make them more quick and objective. Specific attention will be paid to themes such as conceptual and logical Data Warehouses design, data analysis using analytic SQL, algorithms for selecting materialized views, data warehouse systems technology (indexes, star query optimization, physical design, query rewrite methods to use materialized views). A part of the course will be dedicated to a collection of case studies.

Instructor

• Salvatore Ruggieri
  • Universitŕ di Pisa

Hours and Rooms

The following is the timetable of the whole Decision Support Systems course. The two modules span differently over the semester. The first module will take most of the lessons in September-October. The second module will take most of the lessons in November-December.

• Day of Week | Hour | Room
  ---|---|---
  Tuesday | 9:00 - 11:00 | Fib H-Lab
  Wednesday | 11:00 - 13:00 | Fib C1
  Thursday | 11:00 - 13:00 | Fib C
  Friday | 9:00 - 11:00 | Fib C

Mandatory Teaching Material

• [DW] A. Albano, S. Ruggieri. Decision Support Databases Essentials, University of Pisa, 21 December 2023.
• [DB] A. Albano. DB Essentials and solutions to exercises, University of Pisa, 1 December 2020. This is a self-contained excerpt (in English) from the book Fondamenti di basi di dati (in Italian, free download).
• Examples of written exams with solutions and written exams without solutions.

Software

• JRS for practicing with logical and physical SQL query plans. JRS requires Java SE Runtime Environment 8u421.
• Azure Data Studio or SQL Server Management Studio client for connecting to SQL Server DBMS Foodmart database
• Access to University digital services through VPN connect to unipi VPN (unless you are already in the unipi.it network) for accessing the Foodmart database

Preliminary Program and Calendar

• Preliminary program.
• Calendar of lessons.

Exams

The exam of Decision Support Systems (801AA, 12 ECTS) consists of:

• a written part and an oral part on the topics of the first module (50% of the final grade). The written part consists of open questions, small exercises, and a Data Warehouse design problem. Each question is assigned a grade, summing up to 30 points. Students are admitted to the oral part if they receive a grade of at least 18 points. Oral consists of critical discussion of the written part and of open questions and problem solving on the topics of the course.
• and a lab project with discussion on the topics of the second module (50% of the final grade).

Class Calendar

Lessons will not be live-streamed, but recordings of past years are available for non-attending students.

Previous Years

• Decision Support Databases A.Y. 2024/25
• Decision Support Databases A.Y. 2023/24
• Decision Support Databases A.Y. 2022/23
• Decision Support Databases A.Y. 2021/22
• Decision Support Databases A.Y. 2020/21 (special edition)