User characteristics as a basis for DSS design

If different individuals can be shown to behave differently in the presence of the same decision situation, then it is likely that there is a link between the unique personality of an individual and the decisions that that person make. Many studies have attempted to manifest individual factors that may affect decision making. If the presence of such factors can be theoretically validated, they can be used as a basis of DSS design. These systems can be expected to provide support that is compatible with the needs of the targeted decision maker. To enable such a systems development paradigm, the effect of specific personality constructs and the methods of extracting those constructs should be articulated. This paper reviews contemporary personality and personality assessment literature and attempts to evaluate whether we currently have the necessary knowledge to undertake the development of decision support systems which can genuinely adapt to the user.