15. A method defined by claim 1 , the method further comprising the step of constructing a conceptual representation of information, wherein the conceptual representation is a conclusion given by the evaluation of rules of the decision support system based on an analysis of one or more of the following: (a) the plurality of data items; (b) one or more derived attributes; (c) one or more conclusions evaluated in an earlier iteration of one or more rules, wherein construction of conclusions occurs in successive re-evaluation of the rules.
1. A method of generating information from a plurality of data items, the method comprising the steps of: (a) populating an aggregate data item with at least one of the plurality of data items; wherein each individual data item comprises original information including an attribute and a value, wherein the attribute of the individual data item is an identifier for the individual data item, wherein the aggregate data item is a form of derived attribute, wherein the derived attribute represents a transformation of a collection of individual data items into a single data item with a value, wherein said value of the derived attribute is an aggregate value comprising a map of attribute to value for each said individual data item within said collection of individual data items such that a derived attribute forms a single data item suitable for inferencing by a knowledge base, said single data item retaining the original information relating to each of the plurality of individual data items yet queried by the knowledge base as a whole to extract information regarding said individual data items; and (b) generating the information using the aggregate data item, wherein the method of generating information is performed by a decision support system, and wherein the information so generated falls into one or more of the following groups: i. textual information; ii. a machine instruction.