Business Rules and Information Systems
Aligning It with Business Goals
348 pages, parution le 09/04/2002
Résumé
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:
2. Frameworks, Architectures, and Models.
3. Defining Business Rules.
4. Discovering Business Rules.
5. Controlling Rule Quality.
6. The Technology Environment.
7. Realizing Business Rules.
8. Managing Business Rules and Models.
9. A Wider View.
10. Summing Up.
Appendix: A Little Bit of Logic.
Selected Bibliography.
Index.
- 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.
List of Figures.
Preface.
Acknowledgments.
I. A NEW APPROACH TO BUSINESS SYSTEMS.
1. The Problem.What This Book is
about.
The Way We Build Software.
The Vision.
Is This Really Practical?
Moving Forward.
Where We Stand.
Why Should You Care?
What is a Business Rule?
What is a Business Rule?
The Way We Build Software.
The Vision.
How Could It Be?
Some Implications.
Some Implications.
Is This Really Practical?
Moving Forward.
Where We Stand.
2. Frameworks, Architectures, and Models.
Needful
Abstractions.
Case Study: A Sample Business Architecture.
What Does a Complete Model Look Like?
Model Summary.
Frameworks.
Architectures.
Models.
Architectures.
Models.
Case Study: A Sample Business Architecture.
Overview.
Business Objects.
Business Process Elements.
Narratives.
Business Events.
Actors and Roles.
Business Intentions.
Organizational Units.
Business Rules.
Business Objects.
Business Process Elements.
Narratives.
Business Events.
Actors and Roles.
Business Intentions.
Organizational Units.
Business Rules.
What Does a Complete Model Look Like?
Model Summary.
II. CAPTURING BUSINESS RULES.
3. Defining Business Rules.
Rule Statements.
Forming Rule Statements.
References to Facts.
Business Parameters.
Tips on Rule Construction.
Case Study: Microsoft Outlook.
Rule Description Summary.
Business Rule
Characteristics.
Business Aspects.
What Should a Rule Say?
Levels of Expression.
OCL.
Business Aspects.
What Should a Rule Say?
Levels of Expression.
OCL.
Forming Rule Statements.
Pattern Conventions.
Rule Patterns.
Rule Sets.
Static Models VersusRule Statements.
Rule Patterns.
Rule Sets.
Static Models VersusRule Statements.
References to Facts.
Terms and Rules.
Individual Items.
References to Multiple Items.
Individual Items.
References to Multiple Items.
Business Parameters.
Tips on Rule Construction.
Using Facts.
Simple Constraints.
Quantifications and Qualifications.
States and Events.
Actors.
Dangerous Verbs.
Computation.
Structure and Consistency.
Simple Constraints.
Quantifications and Qualifications.
States and Events.
Actors.
Dangerous Verbs.
Computation.
Structure and Consistency.
Case Study: Microsoft Outlook.
Outlook Rule
Structure.
Conditions, Exceptions, and Actions.
Internals.
Logic.
Outlook Rule Features.
Conditions, Exceptions, and Actions.
Internals.
Logic.
Outlook Rule Features.
Rule Description Summary.
4. Discovering Business Rules.
That Which We Call a
Rule.
Where Rules Come Rrom.
Finding Rules.
Case Study: Loan Approval.
Rule-discovery Summary.
Where Rules Come Rrom.
Information Sources.
Common Indicators.
Common Indicators.
Finding Rules.
Static Analysis.
Interactive Sessions.
Automated Rule Discovery.
Interactive Sessions.
Automated Rule Discovery.
Case Study: Loan Approval.
The Early Stages.
Fishbones.
Input Data.
Loan-assessment Rules.
Fishbones.
Input Data.
Loan-assessment Rules.
Rule-discovery Summary.
5. Controlling Rule Quality.
Developing Quality
Rules.
Reviewing Rules.
Walkthroughs.
Inspections.
Testing.
Case Study: Testing the VBB Loan-application Rules.
Metrics.
Quality Summary.
Reviewing Rules.
What to Look for in
Reviewing Rules.
Roles.
Rule Context.
Tone.
Review Outcomes.
Review Records and Approvals.
Roles.
Rule Context.
Tone.
Review Outcomes.
Review Records and Approvals.
Walkthroughs.
Planning and
Preparation.
Conducting a Walkthrough.
Conducting a Walkthrough.
Inspections.
Planning and
Preparation.
Managing an Inspection.
Managing an Inspection.
Testing.
The Use of Testing.
Test Implementation.
The Process of Testing.
Test Implementation.
The Process of Testing.
Case Study: Testing the VBB Loan-application Rules.
Setting up the ABC
Testing.
Assessing the Rules.
Choosing Test Cases.
Implementing the Rule Tests.
VBB Test Results.
Assessing the Rules.
Choosing Test Cases.
Implementing the Rule Tests.
VBB Test Results.
Metrics.
Guidelines.
Minimum Metrics.
Minimum Metrics.
Quality Summary.
III. IMPLEMENTING BUSINESS RULES.
6. The Technology Environment.
More about
Architecture.
A Typical Reference Architecture.
Component Architecture.
Transactions.
Server Pages and Ccripting.
State Management.
Implications for Business Rules.
Where Rules Live.
Summarizing the Technology Environment.
A Typical Reference Architecture.
Business
Flexibility.
Shared Resources.
Shared Resources.
Component Architecture.
Interfaces.
Component Interaction.
Component Interaction.
Transactions.
Server Pages and Ccripting.
State Management.
Implications for Business Rules.
Where Rules Live.
Client.
Channel Tier.
Middle Tier(s).
Data Services Tier.
Legacy Systems.
Channel Tier.
Middle Tier(s).
Data Services Tier.
Legacy Systems.
Summarizing the Technology Environment.
7. Realizing Business Rules.
Taking Stock.
Distributing Rules.
Realizing Rules.
System Rules.
Implementation Summary.
Distributing Rules.
Realizing Rules.
Program Statements.
Scripts.
Rule Components.
Rules Engines.
Database Mechanisms.
Workflow Systems.
Look-up Tables.
Flags and Magic Codes.
Scripts.
Rule Components.
Rules Engines.
Database Mechanisms.
Workflow Systems.
Look-up Tables.
Flags and Magic Codes.
System Rules.
Implementation Summary.
8. Managing Business Rules and Models.
Life-cycle Costs.
Managing Evolution.
Deploying Rules.
Tools to Support Rule Management.
Rule Repository.
Rule Management Summary.
Managing Evolution.
Coping with Changes.
Automating Housekeeping.
Automating Housekeeping.
Deploying Rules.
Testing a New
System.
Rollout.
Supporting a Live System.
Rollout.
Supporting a Live System.
Tools to Support Rule Management.
Rule Repository.
Why a Repository?
Repositories and Rules Engines.
An Example Repository Design.
Repositories and Rules Engines.
An Example Repository Design.
Rule Management Summary.
IV. THE ROLE OF BUSINESS RULES.
9. A Wider View.
Marshaling Intellectual
Resources.
Capturing Knowledge.
Knowledge Summary.
Knowledge
Management.
Developing Knowledge Management.
Developing Knowledge Management.
Capturing Knowledge.
What's the Problem?
Knowledge Representation.
Enriched Models.
Packaging for Reuse.
New Kinds of Services.
Knowledge Representation.
Enriched Models.
Packaging for Reuse.
New Kinds of Services.
Knowledge Summary.
10. Summing Up.
The Purpose of This
Book.
Models.
Trends.
Business Rule Characteristics.
Rule Populations.
Other Properties.
Rule Programming.
Advantages of Business Rules.
Models.
Trends.
Business Process
Reengineering.
Quality Management.
Reducing the Maintenance Burden.
Better Specification.
Distributed Computing.
Soft Assets.
Quality Management.
Reducing the Maintenance Burden.
Better Specification.
Distributed Computing.
Soft Assets.
Business Rule Characteristics.
Rule Populations.
Other Properties.
Who?
Where?
When?
Where?
When?
Rule Programming.
Advantages of Business Rules.
Business Rule
Features.
Categories of Benefits.
Categories of Benefits.
Appendix: A Little Bit of Logic.
Business Logic.
Propositions.
Logical Operations.
Handling Logical Values.
Final Words.
Why Logic?
Logic and Logics.
A Logical Framework.
Forms and Symbols.
Logic and Logics.
A Logical Framework.
Forms and Symbols.
Propositions.
What's a
Proposition?
Standard Forms of Proposition.
Visualizing Propositions.
Alternative Forms of Propositions.
Standard Forms of Proposition.
Visualizing Propositions.
Alternative Forms of Propositions.
Logical Operations.
Syllogisms.
Other Kinds of Arguments.
Other Kinds of Arguments.
Handling Logical Values.
Nothing but the
Truth.
Combining Logical Values.
How Many Functions?
Combining Logical Values.
How Many Functions?
Final Words.
Selected Bibliography.
Index.
L'auteur - Tony Morgan
Tony Morgan is a Senior Solution Specialist at Unisys Corporation. He has a broad range of IT experience gained at companies such as EDS and Unisys, including more than 15 years of rule-based system development. His main interest is in IT systems that deliver real business value. Tony holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Cambridge and is a Visiting Research Fellow at Brunel University.
Caractéristiques techniques
| PAPIER | |
| Éditeur(s) | Addison Wesley |
| Auteur(s) | Tony Morgan |
| Parution | 09/04/2002 |
| Nb. de pages | 348 |
| Format | 15,7 x 23,4 |
| Couverture | Broché |
| Poids | 489g |
| Intérieur | Noir et Blanc |
| EAN13 | 9780201743913 |
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