Business Logic Automation
Automation: “the technique, method, or system of operating or controlling
a process by highly automatic means, as by electronic devices, reducing human intervention
to a minimum. “
Business Logic: “the underlying system of reasoning used to actualize business
intent”
Business Logic Automation: “The process of automating business logic
creation, modification, verification, distribution, and application”
Business logic automation is about putting people in control with applications that
are built for change. Knowing that change is coming and knowing what a change
will be are two different things. Most of us know that it will rain at some
point in the next month. What we don't know is exactly when. How can
this be automated? Should we wait until it is raining to go to the store and
purchase an umbrella? Or do we carry an umbrella with us in case we need it?
The latter is a more automated response model for reacting to changes in the weather.
Automation requires planning for change and the respective transaction costs associated
with reacting to it. In many respects, going to development every time a predictable
business requirement change occurs is like going to the store for an umbrella every
time it rains. We might not know what the interest rate will be in six months, but
we do know it will change at some point, and building a solution that minimizes
the transaction cost of making the required software change is what business logic
automation is all about.
In terms of business logic, the automation we are talking about is the automation
of the change implementation process itself. The business logic, even if hardcoded,
is still automated from the standpoint of it being applied at runtime. We
are at the point where the change process is what needs to be automated next.
Business logic automation puts business users at the helm of application business
logic, without the expensive iterative back and forth between analysts and developers.
Many business logic implementations today operate via a human-intensive process
which is plagued with handoffs and expensive iterations of trial and error.
Automating business logic addresses these difficulties through a series of tools
and services tailored to each activity in the business logic life cycle.
Navigation and Visualization
Business logic automation requires that authors are able to navigate to a body of
business logic and understand what it means.
Creation and Modification
Business logic creation and modification are done through an authoring tool which
provides business oriented navigation and visualization features.
Verification
Effectively creating business logic requires more than just editing rules and calculations.
It requires a rich feedback loop that the author can use to verify that what was
created in fact represents their intent.
Distribution
Business logic changes need to find their way from the author to the runtime environment.
Business logic automation requires a distribution mechanism that supports migration
to production through staging and quality control.
Invocation
Business logic defined by the author must be integrated into the runtime environment
and invoked by the consuming application.
InRule provides an integrated suite of applications tailored to each of the business
logic automation requirements.
