As business users define processes, they may find that defining all the permutations around decision points can create a workflow that is unwieldy, both in terms of understanding and ability to maintain, execute, and optimize. The process can get—well—ugly. Suddenly, Mr. Fitness is extremely inflexible from too time in the weight room (and orange from too much time in the spray tan booth, but that’s a whole ‘nother topic, as they say).
For example, a workflow may be defined to execute the very complex logic that determines eligibility and pricing for insurance. With the permission of my good friends at ShareVis—whose software helps you create, deploy and maintain very beautiful processes (www.sharevis.com)-- Figure 1 shows how such decision logic, when embedded within a workflow, can make a process very complex.
For example, a single, high-level decision point called “Determine Eligibility” will encompass many underlying decisions and calculations. Figure 2 shows how this high level decision point within the workflow reduces the complexity of the workflow shown in the previous graphic. In this case, the ShareVis process calls InRule to manage and execute the decision logic.
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By embedding every decision point within a workflow, organizations are not only making ugly processes, they’re unintentionally embedding decision logic—thus moving away from the vision of SOA. To help streamline business processes, organizations must identify decision logic and manage it differently from flow logic. By externalizing the decision logic from the workflow, a business rule engine can simplify a workflow and make the logic easier to update. Using business rule technology with your BPM tool can help renew the youthful beauty of your most complex business processes.
The underlying rules, logic, and calculations that drive that decision point can be maintained separately from the workflow, by the subject matter experts. Business rule technology, like yoga, brings flexibility and deep thought to complement the power of BPM.
Flexible, beautiful business processes brought to you by the Yogi of IT: Business Rule Technology.
Namaste.