SPOTLIGHT
Volume 1, Number 10 November 18, 2008
November Sponsor

Business Rules and Business Processes

In my September 23rd, 2008 Advisor, I described a problem that could have resulted in a complex BPMN diagram. This problem was
"solved" by capturing the complex information in a simple business rule that we associated with a simple BPMN diagram. Increasingly,
smart business analysts are combining business rules and business process diagrams to provide business managers with documentation
that is much easier to understand.
In spite of progress, however, those interested in business rules and those interested in business process analysis too often approach BPM
solutions from different perspectives. Just as there are Business Process Management conferences, there are also Business Rules
Management conferences. Increasingly, however, like the white and black dots in the centers of the opposing yin and yang forces, there
are process discussions at the rules conferences and rules discussions at process conferences. Ron Ross, who writes a Column for
BPTrends has done a lot to encourage this cross fertilization by speaking at many BPM conferences, and Roger Burlton has played a similar
role by appearing at a number of business rules conferences.
Figure 1 suggests, however, that the two technologies exist in their own worlds and are only combined in special situations.

Figure 1. Two perspectives on the enterprise: processes and rules
The process perspective can be conceptualized as a pyramid. The top is focused on strategy, goals, performance measures and a
comprehensive business process architecture. The mid-level is composed of specific processes decomposed to activities that are performed
by people or systems. The bottom of the pyramid includes a broad set of techniques that are used to implement specific activities.
The rules perspective can also be conceived as a pyramid. At the top is strategy and goals, but there are also the policies that the
organization is committed to implementing. The rules world has a more logical or legalistic flavor than the process world. Thus, policies use
words that need to be carefully defined to avoid ambiguity and to ensure that two policies do not accidentally contradict each other.
Anyone interested in developing a comprehensive business rules system must be concerned with the specification of some kind of ontology
that defines exactly how specific words - like customer, policy, and default - are to be used. The mid-level of the rules pyramid is focused
on business rules that are derived from policies and then decomposed into more specific rules. At the same time, as the rules are
expanded, the ontology must be expanded to assure that the rules remain consistent. The bottom of the rules pyramid includes a variety
of techniques that are used to document and enforce specific rules.
The OMG's Business Modeling and Integration task force is responsible for both process standards, like the Business Process Modeling
Notation (BPMN), and rules standards like the Semantics of Business Vocabulary and Business Rules (SBVR). A quick glance at their
Business Motivation Model (BMM) standards, however, reveals that they have yet to arrive at a clear way of describing exactly how rules
and process are related.
Over the years, BPTrends has published a variety of articles by process practitioners and rules experts that consider how organizations can
use the two sets of techniques together to achieve results. I've listed some pointers to some of the more interesting examples, in no
particular order, below:
Knowledge Reuse and Agile Processes: Catalysts for Innovation, by Amit Mitra and Amar Gupta. Book review by Paul Harmon - June 03,
2008.
Mitra and Gupta have now published the third volume in their magisterial series that seeks to define and explain organizations in terms of
their knowledge structures and business rules. Paul Harmon reviews the book and discusses it in relation to the other books in the trilogy.
The Business Rule Revolution: Running Business the Right Way. by Barbara Von Halle, Larry Goldberg, and John Zachman. Book review by
Paul Harmon - January 08, 2008.
At the recent OMG technical conference there was, once again, quite a bit of discussion about exactly how business rules and processes fit
together. This book doesn't answer the question, but it does provide a good overall discussion of the role of business rules in leading
companies, and provides an excellent place for anyone wanting to learn about the uses of business rules, to begin.
Business Rules: An Introduction. Paul Harmon - July 01, 2003.
This month's issue of the BPTrends newsletter focuses on business rules. Every company has rules that guide employee decisions and that
are incorporated into software applications and databases. There is a growing movement to formalize business rules so that they can be
used in a systematic way to align company efforts, organize applications, and provide managers with a quick and reliable way to change
the rules when companies change strategies, goals or policies. This issue provides a survey of various business rule initiatives currently
being pursued by business process practitioners.
The Silver Bullet of Business Rules Management Systems by Art Tortolero - November 06, 2007
Art Tortelero is a strong advocate for the use of business rules management systems and, in this Article, he provides reasons why he
perceives this approach is creating a "sea change" in how corporations will build and maintain their core business systems.
Ron Ross has written a number of BPTrends Columns on business rules. Here we presenst a few of the best.
Business Rule Solutions: The Value of Decision By Ron Ross - November 06, 2007.
If you have had problems convincing management of the value of business rules initiatives, Ron Ross' Column is a must read. He provides
powerful tools for convincing management that a business rules approach is a sound investment for improving ROI.
Business Rules: When Is a Door not a Door? Ron Ross - March 06, 2007
According to Ron Ross, "In a world of constant and accelerating change, adaptability is the name of the game." Read his Column to learn
why Rules are an essential component of your company's strategy for achieving adaptability.
Business Rule Solutions: Rules and Processes--Examples Showing how they Relate Ron Ross - December 05, 2006