From a bestselling author and expert--a soon-to-be classic on application development Representing a significant change of focus in software engineering, the business rule approach to application development benefits all decision makers. Managers looking to take advantage of new opportunities will turn to business rules to implement change. IT has already learned the benefits of separating data by processing and managing data as an independent component of systems. A rules-extended development approach does exactly the same thing for business rules: by reducing the amount of code that needs to be written, it shortens the time necessary to implement change. Bestselling author Barbara von Halle (The Handbook of Relational Database Design from Addison Wesley) presents the first book to show in practical, real-world terms how to build applications using business rule concepts and techniques. This authoritative guide will give readers: o Complete guidance for system designers and database managers o The motivation for using the business rule approach o Techniques for discovering and managing rules o Guidance on how to conduct rule analysis o Steps for designing the implementation options of the rules, as well as designing workflow and database components

The idea of Business Rules has been around for a while. Simply put, a Business Rule is a statement that defines or constrains some aspect of the business. In practice they are meant to reduce or eliminate the delays, waste, and frustration associated with the IT department having to be involved with almost every action affecting an organization's information systems. The advent of Web services has created renewed interest in them. There are now several well established rules-based products that have demonstrated the effectiveness of their use. But until now there has not been a definitive guide to Business Rules. Ron Ross, considered to be the father of Business Rules, will help organizations apply this powerful solution to their own computer system problems. This book is intended to be the first book that anyone from an IT manager to a business manager will read to understand what Business Rules are, and what how they can be applied to their own situation.

Demonstrating how to develop a business rules engine, this guide covers user requirements, data modelling, metadata and more. A sample application is used throughout the book to illustrate concepts. The text includes conceptual overview chapters suitable for management-level readers, including a general introduction, business justification, development and implementation considerations and more. Demonstrating how to develop a business rules engine, this guide covers user requirements, data modelling and metadata. It includes conceptual overview chapters suitable for management-level readers, a general introduction, business justification, development and implementation considerations.

Learn from experts who share a step-by-step method how to justify and manage the ROI for the BR Approach.

"What I think Date has done is nothing less than to lay out the foundational concepts for the next generation of business logic servers based on predicate logic. Such a breakthrough should revolutionize application development in our industry--and take business rules to their fullest expression." --Ronald G. Ross, Principal, Business Rule Solutions, LLC Executive Editor, DataToKnowledge Newsletter The way we build computer applications is about to change dramatically, thanks to a new development technology known as business rules. The key idea behind the technology is that we can build applications declaratively instead of procedurally--that is, we can simply state WHAT needs to be done instead of HOW to do what needs to be done. The advantages are obvious: ease and rapidity of initial development and subsequent maintenance, hardware and software platform independence, overall productivity, business adaptivity, and more. What Not How: The Business Rules Approach to Application Development is a concise and accessible introduction to this new technology. It is written for both managers and technical professionals. The book consists of two parts: Part I presents a broad overview of what business rules are all about; Part II then revisits the ideas in Part I and shows how they fit squarely into the solid tradition of relational technology. Topics covered include: Presentation rules Database and application rules Building on the data model Potential advantages and disadvantages A new look at relational fundamentals Business rules and the relational model Overall, the book provides a good grounding in an important new technology, one poised to transform the way we do business in the IT world. 0201708507B04062001

Business rules are everywhere. Every enterprise process, task, activity, or function is governed by rules. However, some of these rules are implicit and thus poorly enforced, others are written but not enforced, and still others are perhaps poorly written and obscurely enforced. The business rule approach looks for ways to elicit, communicate, and manage business rules in a way that all stakeholders can understand, and to enforce them within the IT infrastructure in a way that supports their traceability and facilitates their maintenance. Boyer and Mili will help you to adopt the business rules approach effectively. While most business rule development methodologies put a heavy emphasis on up-front business modeling and analysis, agile business rule development (ABRD) as introduced in this book is incremental, iterative, and test-driven. Rather than spending weeks discovering and analyzing rules for a complete business function, ABRD puts the emphasis on producing executable, tested rule sets early in the project without jeopardizing the quality, longevity, and maintainability of the end result. The authors’ presentation covers all four aspects required for a successful application of the business rules approach: (1) foundations, to understand what business rules are (and are not) and what they can do for you; (2) methodology, to understand how to apply the business rules approach; (3) architecture, to understand how rule automation impacts your application; (4) implementation, to actually deliver the technical solution within the context of a particular business rule management system (BRMS). Throughout the book, the authors use an insurance case study that deals with claim processing. Boyer and Mili cater to different audiences: Project managers will find a pragmatic, proven methodology for delivering and maintaining business rule applications. Business analysts and rule authors will benefit from guidelines and best practices for rule discovery and analysis. Application architects and software developers will appreciate an exploration of the design space for business rule applications, proven architectural and design patterns, and coding guidelines for using JRules.

Information systems often fail because their requirements are poorly defined. This book shows IT professionals how to specify more precisely and more effectively what their systems need to do. The key lies in the discovery and application of what are called business rules. A business rule is a compact and simple statement that represents some important aspect of a business. By capturing the rules for your business—the logic that governs its operation—you will gain the ability to create systems fully aligned with your business needs. In this book, Tony Morgan provides a thorough introduction to business rules, as well as a practical framework for integrating them into information systems. He shows you how to identify and express business rules, offers practical strategies for their use, and explains the key elements of logic that underpin their application. Topics covered include: Understanding the role of business rules and models in information systems development Using models to structure and manage business activities, including e-commerce Defining and discovering business rules Controlling business rule quality Fitting business rules into varied technical architectures Implementing business rules using available technology Whether you are an analyst, designer, developer, or technical manager, the in-depth information and practical perspective in this valuable resource will guide you in your efforts to build rule-centered information systems that fully support the goals of your organization.