What system gathers data from various sources to aid in decision-making for complex problems?

A Decision Support System (DSS) is specifically designed to gather data from multiple sources and provide analytics to help users make decisions, especially in complex situations. The central function of a DSS is to support the decision-making process by integrating diverse data inputs, applying analytical models, and presenting information in a user-friendly manner. This capability enables organizations to evaluate various scenarios and outcomes, ultimately enhancing their ability to make informed choices based on comprehensive data analysis.

In contrast, a data mart serves as a subset of a data warehouse, focusing on a specific business line or department within an organization, but it does not actively support decision-making like a DSS. A data warehouse, while it does store and manage large amounts of data from different sources, functions more as a centralized repository rather than a system that assists in decision-making directly. Lastly, a data dictionary is a metadata repository that defines the structure of the database, containing details about the data but not facilitating decision-making through data analysis or modeling.