An analysis of problems associated with the uptake of knowledge based decision support systems (KBDSS) by Australian dairy farmers was used to determine the factors that influence KBDSS adoption by small businesses. This analysis indicated that system developers need to have a good working knowledge of the target industry and to understand the types of decisions that are made by managers in order to develop systems that will be used. It was also determined that small business managers needed more ownership in the process of KBDSS development. An example of a KBDSS tailored to farmers in the northern Australian dairy industry is given by way of example. The author suggests that the factors affecting KBDSS adoption by dairy farmers can be equally applicable to small businesses in other industries.