Figure 1 illustrates an example rules table for determining an interest rate offered by a hypothetical credit card provider. So the logic and associated calculations are all defined within a rules table contained within the decision model. There is typically a process activity associated with an approval or rejection decision (gateway), but at the same time you might also want to determine the interest rate in a consistent manner for all applicants. Take the process activity for approving a credit card application for example. Decision models are associated with decision points in a task at which the process worker (or automated system) has to determine what the next process path should be or calculate the result of an activity. How do the rules captured in decision models relate to business processes and workflow?Ī decision model can be associated with, in business process management terms, a task activity. It really makes things clear for all of the people involved in a process and for stakeholders who need to be aware of how decisions are derived. This provides clarity and supports consistent results by all ‘decision makers,’ including both people and automated systems. When combined with process models, the information is standardized. In other words, decision models describe the information that guide or control how people or systems add value in context of processes. In addition to helping people understand the basis of decisions, models also help organizations ensure consistent results. It’s important to mention that we are not discussing strategic decisions, but the vital operating decisions that occur thousands of times a day. Decision modeling typically represents knowledge in a way people can understand how conclusions are derived and how they are tied to the desired results. What are decision models and how do they relate to process models?ĭecision models are templates that identify, organize, and manage the logic and associated rules that go into operational decisions. When it comes to defining processes and how organizations take and manage operational decisions, it also promises benefits like standardization, common language, the ability to be modeled by business users and visibility into improving enterprise operations.
The recent adoption of a Decision Modeling Notation (DMN) 1.0 by the Object Management Group (OMG) has potential to be a game changer, much like business process management was. I was recently able to speak with Will Thomas, vice president enterprise sales Americas at Signavio, about decision modeling, its impact on process modeling, and some advice for getting started on integrating the two.
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