1. Business Decision Modeling
Goal-Oriented
Business Decision Modeling
Jacob Feldman, PhD
OpenRules. Inc., CTO
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2. Outline Goal-Orientation
Building simple decision models using the goal-oriented approach
Dependencies between business goals within decision models
Goal-oriented Decision Engine
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3. Classic Goal-Orientation
Key declarative principle:
Concentrate on “WHAT” not on “HOW”
Origin: Logic Programming
You only need to specify the goals (WHAT)
But not the strategy to reach this goal (HOW)
The execution engine figures it out automatically!
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4. Comparing Logic Programming and Business Decision Modeling
Features
Logic
Programming
Business
Decision Modeling
Target Audience
Software Developers
Business Analysts
WHAT:
Specifying Goals
A formal programming language such as Prolog or a special CSP modeling language
Decision Tables and other DMN-like constructs
HOW:
Strategy to Reach Goal
- Usually not required
- Heuristics may be configured using goals to expedite the search
- Required for sequential engines
- Not required for inferential engines
Execution Engine
Prolog or a constraint solver in Java/C++/…
Rule Engine
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5. Goal-Oriented Approach to Business Decision Modeling
Building a decision model can be considered as a process of specifying its goals and subgoals
When all goals and subgoals are specified, the decision model should be considered “ready to be executed”
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6. Goal-Oriented Approach to Business Decision Modeling
Decision Model consists of
Glossary with Decision Variables
Goals connected using Business Rules
Business Rules specify goals and subgoals
Do not ask a user to specify any strategy that specifies how to reach the goals (such as dependencies between goals or arrows on DRG)
It is a responsibility of the decision engine!
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7. Building a Sample Decision Model “Vacation Days”
Problem Description
Source:
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8. What is the Goal of this decision model?
The Goal of this decision model is to define vacation days for every Employee based on age and years of service
Goal = Vacation Days
We start with creation of the business Glossary
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9. Building Decision Model
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Building Decision Model
Goal = Vacation Days
3 Subgoals
Add these 3 subgoals to the Glossary

10. Building Decision Model
2 New
Variables
Define the first subgoal for 5 extra days
Add these variables to Glossary
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11. Building Decision Model
Define the second subgoal for 3 extra days
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12. Building Decision Model
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Define the third subgoal for 2 extra days

13. Complete Decision Model
This decision model is ready to be executed against test or real data
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14. Glossary Glossary is a focal point of a decision model:
It represents a view from the model to the world
It links all decision tables using Excel hyperlinks :
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15. A bit more complex problem
Evaluate Credit Card Application
Goals and Subgoals:
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16. More Complex Decision Model View
Glossary
The number of decision variables and decision tables have a tendency to grow quickly.
If we ask a user to draw
diagrams with links (arrows) between all of them, they quickly become unmanageable
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17. Decision Model Without Links
No links
Specified
Goal-1
Specified
Goal-2
Glossary
Specified
Goal-4
Specified
Goal-3
Specified
Goal-5
Specified
Goal-6
Specified
Goal-n
A Decision Model can be implemented as a Glossary surrounded by Specified Goals
We should not ask a user to define any dependencies between the goals or their execution order
This should be a responsibility of Decision Engine
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18. Decision Execution Engine
Expected Capabilities:
Recognizing internal structure of the decision model and dependencies between goals and input variables
Calculating execution order for all goals
Executing decision models to reach any specified goal
Explaining produced decisions
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19. Dependencies Between Goals
Where are dependencies defined?
In the titles decision table conditions
Inside decision tables cells (FEEL expressions in DMN)
Inside iteration tables
Inside complex boxed expressions and functions
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20. Example of a Goal-Oriented Decision Engine
OpenRules Release 7.0.0
Extracts all dependencies between goals and subgoals directly from decision tables including complex embedded iterations
Automatically builds an execution path for any specified goal
Tables of the type “Decision” that specify an execution order for different decision tables can be generated automatically
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21. Executing Decision Model
Test Cases or Real Data
Decision Table
Goal-1
Glossary
Decision Table
Goal-2
Decision Table
Goal-3
Decision Table
Goal-4
OpenRules Engine
Execution Results
Explanations
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22. Decision Model Analyzer
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23. Execution Results w/Explanations
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24. Business analyst creates:
SUMMARY: How to Create a working Decision Model
with Excel and OpenRules
Business analyst creates:
Business Glossary
Decision Tables for all business goals
OpenRules Engine does the rest
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25. Thank you! QnA www.OpenRules.com
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