What is the defining characteristic of a Decision Support System?

A Decision Support System (DSS) is primarily designed to assist in complex decision-making by providing valuable insights, analyses, and tools that enable users to evaluate options and make informed choices. The essence of a DSS lies in its ability to handle large volumes of data, analyze it, and present it in a way that supports high-level decision-making processes, particularly in situations that involve uncertainty or varying variables.

In contrast, other options do not capture the unique function of a DSS. While processing routine transactions and storing large amounts of data can be part of a broader information system, they do not specifically signify the purpose of a DSS. Additionally, structured reports can be a byproduct of a DSS, but they do not encapsulate the system's role in aiding complex decisions, which often require dynamic analysis and modeling rather than merely presenting data in a fixed format. Thus, the defining characteristic that distinguishes a Decision Support System is its capability to assist in complex decision-making.