Recommended Free Tools
An executive information system (EIS) is decision-support software built for senior executives. It presents summarized, often graphical, information about organizational performance, and lets the user analyze that information and drill down to detail when a summary raises a question.
The definition in plain terms
In a 1995 study in Information & Management, Jeretta Horn Nord and G. Daryl Nord defined the term this way: “Decision support software designed to meet specific needs of executives is referred to as an Executive Information System (EIS).” The key idea is audience. An EIS is organized around what a senior manager needs to know and decide, not around the transactions or detailed records that lower-level staff work with.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Gary P. Moynihan, in a reference entry published by IGI Global in 2009, describes the same purpose from the executive’s side. The aim is to give managers appropriate summaries rather than leave them facing large volumes of detailed status reports. The software is the mechanism that makes that filtering and retrieval practical.
What an EIS typically does
Moynihan’s description lists several characteristics that recur across EIS descriptions. They are typical features, not a checklist every product must meet.
#1 Best Overall
- This book is in perfect condition. It has never even been opened. It is straight from the store, unmarked, in pristine condition.
- Summarized performance information. The top-level view shows indicators relevant to organizational performance and to the decisions an executive actually makes.
- Easy-to-use graphical interface. Charts and visual displays are used so that a non-technical user can scan results quickly.
- Integrated access and analysis. The system pulls together data and supports analysis across multiple files or data sources, rather than requiring a separate report for each.
- Drill-down on request. From a summary figure, the user can move to more detailed information behind it when needed.
The drill-down feature is what distinguishes the design. A summary alone tells an executive that something changed; the ability to move from that summary into the underlying detail lets the executive find out why, without waiting for a staff analyst to build a new report.
How EIS relates to DSS and ESS
An EIS is generally treated as a specialized type of decision support system (DSS). A DSS is a broader category of software that helps people make decisions; an EIS narrows that to the needs of senior executives.
Rank #2
The term executive support system (ESS) is often used as a synonym for EIS. The overlap is real, but the labels are not used identically everywhere. A 2009 IGI Global reference entry on executive support systems notes that ESS usage overlaps with EIS. One reference distinguishes an expanded ESS conception that can include broader communications, office automation, and access to external data. Under that wider reading, ESS describes a support environment, while EIS more often describes the information-access core. Authors and periods vary, so when you read a document that uses one term, check how it defines the other.
PC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware match| Term | Scope commonly described | Typical emphasis |
|---|---|---|
| Decision support system (DSS) | Broad category of software that supports decisions at many levels | Analysis and modeling for decision-makers in general |
| Executive information system (EIS) | Software designed to meet the specific information needs of senior executives | Summaries, graphical display, reporting, and drill-down |
| Executive support system (ESS) | Often used as a synonym for EIS; in some references, a broader support environment | Varies by author; the wider reading can include communications, office automation, and external data access |
What an EIS does not do
An EIS informs decisions. It does not make them, and it does not guarantee that they are correct. The 1995 study characterizes executive decisions as broad, future-oriented, uncertain, and comparatively unstructured. Those are exactly the conditions in which summarized data helps but cannot settle the question. A well-designed EIS shortens the path from a question to relevant facts; the judgment about what to do with those facts stays with the executive.
The same caution applies to the word “dashboard.” A modern dashboard may serve needs similar to an EIS, and many dashboards show summaries with drill-down. The sources reviewed for this definition do not establish that every dashboard should be classified as an EIS, so the label depends on what the system is built to do for senior decision-makers.
Historical implementation approaches
EIS has been built in more than one way. A 1992 study in Decision Support Systems (Elsevier) compared three approaches among 50 companies that had operational EIS. The sample broke down as follows.
Rank #4
- Author: Bungay Stanier, Michael.
- Publisher: Page Two
- Pages: 244
- Publication Date: 2016-02-29
- Edition: 1
| Approach | Number of systems in the 1992 sample | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Custom-built software | 12 | The firm developed the EIS in-house |
| Full-featured vendor-supplied EIS software | 16 | A vendor sold a dedicated EIS product |
| Combined custom-built and general-purpose vendor software | 22 | A blend of internal development and off-the-shelf general tools |
These counts describe one study of 50 companies at the time it was conducted. They are not current market shares, and they should not be read as a measure of how common EIS is today. The 1992 study is useful for understanding the range of implementation choices, not for estimating present-day adoption.
What the evidence does not establish
- Current EIS adoption rates or market size. The sources reviewed for this definition do not provide a recent figure.
- Whether any single named software product is the standard EIS today. The definition does not depend on a product.
- That all dashboards or business intelligence tools are EIS. Overlap exists, but the terms are not interchangeable in every context.
For broader background, the O’Reilly chapter “Executive Information and Dashboards” in Decision Support Systems for Business Intelligence covers the subject from a business intelligence angle, though it is not a dedicated EIS manual.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Ideal for Gifting
- Ideal for a bookworm
- Compact for travelling
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
