Rules are everywhere. Those of us in the business rules technology business tend to see rules everywhere and there are days when I think that automating and managing rules can improve just about any decision-making process.
Today, however, I am reminded that sometimes the “real” rules are not the ones that are in the rule book and that some rules cannot be automated. Monday was the first day of the 2009 baseball season, yesterday the home opener for my Chicago White Sox (beat Kansas City 4-2), and tonight my first game of the season. Baseball is a sport of warm summer days and cold malted beverages—and of rules. There is something very pleasing about explaining the nuances of baseball rules to a child or a friend at their first game, having pride in being able to identify a balk or being able to explain the infield fly rule.
In his very excellent essay “There Are No Ties at First Base,” Ted Cohen—University of Chicago professor and baseball rule junkie—tells the tale of his quest to correct a contradiction in the baseball rule book. What Mr. Cohen understands at the end of his quest is what business rules practitioners remind us all the time—that sometimes the real rules aren’t the official rules. The foundation of any business rules strategy is understanding how decisions are actually being made, then ensuring a common understanding of those rules. Automation and management are important, but it’s making sure that stakeholders agree on the key rules that is the first step toward better business decision management.
As Mr. Cohen so simply states, “What good are the rules if no one knows them? What good is it to know the rules if no one believes you? And what if they believe you but just don’t care?” In the end, the baseball rulebook didn’t exactly define the rules and rules didn’t exactly define baseball. So while neither baseball nor rules is everything, they certainly do take up a lot of my waking, thinking time. I hope to use this space to share the thoughts and experiences of those of us who focus on business rules.
Mr. Cohen’s essay can be found in the collection Baseball and Philosophy: Thinking Outside the Batter’s Box, edited by Eric Bronson. As a White Sox fan, I can also recommend the essay, ”Should Cubs Fans Be Committed?” by Thomas D. Senor.